Present: dunc & rob
We have discussed this cave for a couple of years and finally we had decided to go!
It is located on the side of Black Hill overlooking Malham Cove but is about 1 to 1.5 mile walk depending where you park. We parked a little further away because we had a notion to go to Grizedale hole as well (but we didn’t)!
Anyway, Gorbeck is located in the top end of a line of shakeholes near the track. The entrance involves a short climb down followed by a low, clean washed crawl to a small chamber. From there there is more crawling in the stream, mostly of a low nature until you reach a duck (we didn’t see a duck). Soon after, the main stream gets too low so you turn off into a parralel crawl.
This is pretty grim. Basically it is mostly crawling, some flat out in water, then in mud and more crawling until you reach a dig. All I can say is whoever is digging in there is a braver man than most! It is muddy, awkward and generally grim.
We made a hasty exit and after finding the surface with that cruel and cold wind, we decided to give Grizedale a miss because we were both cold and head to the pub instead.
The pub of choice was the Rising Sun in Blacko as we hadn’t visited in years.
All in all, Gorbeck isn’t the most pleasant of caves but has great potential having been dye tested to malham cove hence the perseverance of the digging team. I’m still glad we got there after contemplating the trip on so many occasions.
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