Some Notes On The World Caving Scene, 1992
by J. R. Middleton
It is some 20 years since an overview of the world caving scene last appeared in The YRC Journal, Vol.XI No.36,1973. An update of global activity in this, the Club’s centenary, year is perhaps an appropriate time for comparisons to be made.
What happened in the early 1970s, whilst amazing for the time, has been totally eclipsed by the year-in, year-out exploits of the world’s increasingly active cavers. The previous boom in new discoveries was attributed to new techniques and equipment. During the last decade both have agai n been important but do not explain why there has been a dramatic surge in cave exploration. The real explanation lies in the massively increased access to information on caving regions, the opening of frontiers to China, Vietnam, Russia, other previously forbidden regions and the availability of cheap international travel.
The lists and explanatory notes make fascinating comparative reading. For the purpose of definition, a system is where two or more caves are connected, so that a through-trip is physically possible. In 1972 there were only two known systems over 1,000 metres in depth and now there are 40. Similarly, there were only five known systems over 50 kilometres in length and now there are 25.
Grateful acknowledgement is given to Tony Waltham and Claud Chaubert for providing the majority of the information. Other sources are “Longest and Deepest Caves in Britain”, BCRA Bulletin, No5 and Paul Courbon’s Atlas des Grands Gouffres du Monde 1972.
The Longest Caves of Britain
| 1972 | 1992 | ||||
| Meters | Meters | ||||
| 1. | Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (S. Wales) | 40,000 | 1. | Easgill System (Yorkshire) | 67,000 a |
| 2. | Easgill Caverns (Yorkshire) | 30,500 | 2. | Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (S. Wales) | 48,000 |
| 3. | Ogof Agen Allwedd (S. Wales) | 24300 | 3. | Ogof Agen Allwedd (S. Wales) | 32,900 b |
| 4. | Dan-yr-Ogof (S. Wales) | 16,000 | 4. | Daren Cilau (S. Wales) | 26,000 c |
| 5. | Poulnaggolum-Poulelva (Clare) | 11300 | 5. | Kingsdale System (Yorkshire) | 23,000 d |
| 6. | Doolin Cave (Clare) | 10300 | 6. | Gaping Gill System (Yorkshire) | 16300 |
| 7. | Gaping Gill (Yorkshire) | 10300 | 7. | Dan-yr-Ogof (S. Wales) | 15,000 |
| 8. | Mossdale Caverns (Yorkshire) | 9300 | 8. | Peak-Speedwell System (Derbyshire) | 14,400 e |
| 9. | Langcliffe Pot (Yorkshire) | 8350 | 9. | Poulnaggolum-Poulelva (Clare) | 13,000 |
| 10. | Little Neath River Cave (S. Wales) | 8,138 | 10. | Ireby-Notts System (Yorkshire) | 11,100 f |
| 11. | Peak-Speedwell Caverns (Derbyshire) | 7300 | 11. | Mossdale Caverns (Yorkshire) | 10300 |
| 12. | Swildon’s Hole (Mendip) | 7,000 | 12. | Doolin St Catherine’s (Clare) | 10,000 |
| 13. | Pippikin Hole (Yorkshire) | 7,000 | 13. | Langcliffe Pot (Yorkshire) | 9,600 |
| 14. | West Kingsdale System (Yorkshire) | 6300 | 14. | Swildon’s Hole (Mendip) | 9,100 |
| 15. | Marble Arch Cave (Fermanagh) | 6,400 | 15. | Ogof Craig y Ffynnon (S. Wales) | 8,600 g |
a. Now includes 16 entrances with Lost John’s, Gavel, and Pippikin. The highest is Lost Pot.
b. A connection with Daren Cilau is close but still proves elusive.
c. Perhaps the most amazing British discovery of the past 20 years. Over 20 km are new, creating not only one of the country’s most arduous systems but also one of its most beautiful and spectacular.
d. Entrances now include Simpson’s, Swinsto, Jingling, Rowten, Keld Head, and Valley Entrance in West Kingsdale and King Pot from East Kingsdale. The dive between King Pot sump and Keld Head is 3,050m, or 1,955m from the King Pot sump to the Kingsdale Master Cave. Swinsto is the highest entrance.
e. The last five years have seen many dramatic discoveries, several after impressive caven climbs.
f. This system could probably prove to be a key connection between the Kingsdale System and Easgill.
g. The third Llangattock system, which may eventually connect with Daren Cilau (4).
The Deepest Caves of Britain
| 1972 | 1992 | ||||
| Meters | Meters | ||||
| 1. | Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (S. Wales) | 308 | 1. | Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (S.Wales) | 308 |
| 2. | Giants-Oxlow System (Derbyshire) | 212 | 2. | Giants-Oxlow System (Derbyshire) | 214 |
| 3. | Penyghent Pot (Yorkshire) | 176 | 3. | Daren Cilau (S. Wales) | 213 |
| 4. | Mere Gill Hole (Yorkshire) | 173 | 4. | Easgill System (Yorkshire) | 211 |
| 5. | Gingling Hole (Yorkshire) | 169 | 5. | Gaping Gill System (Yorkshire) | 203 h |
| 6. | Swildon’s Hole (Mendip) | 167 | 6. | Penyghent Pot (Yorkshire) | 194 i |
| 7. | Nettle Pot (Derbyshire) | 159 | 7. | Ireby-Notts System (Yorkshire) | 183 |
| 8. | Black Shiver Pot (Yorkshire) | 159 | 8. | Peak-Speedwell System (Derbyshire) | 182 |
| 9. | Tatham Wife Hole (Yorkshire) | 159 | 9. | Mere Gill Hole (Yorkshire) | 181 |
| 10. | Gaping Gill (Yorkshire) | 156 | 10. | Reyfad Pot (Fermanagh) | 179 |
| 11. | Long Kin West (Yorkshire) | 154 | 11. | Gingling Hole (Yorkshire) | 176 j |
| 12. | Quaking Pot (Yorkshire) | 152 | 12. | Longwood Swallet (Mendip) | 175 |
| 13. | Manor Farm Swallet (Mendip) | 151 | 13. | Long Kin West (Yorkshire) | 174 |
| 14. | August-Longwood Hole (Mendip) | 150 | 14. | Poll na Gceim (Clare) | 170 k |
| 15. | Lost John Hole (Yorkshire) | 145 | 15. | Dale Head Pot (Yorkshire) | 168 l |
h. The depth includes a deep dive in one of the Ingleborough Cave sumps.
i. Whilst 20 years have produced very little depth difference, the length has more than doubled to 5,300m. An arduous connection was made from near Niagara pitch to the “Living Death Extensions”, which contain the Little Hull Pot water.
j. Divers broke into the Fountains Fell Master Cave in 1991, when an extra 1,200m of passage was added to the system. Exploration is still continuing.
k. An extension through a boulder-choke in 1991 reached this new depth with a 100m potential still to go.
l. New to the list but originally explored in 1975.
The World’s Longest Caves
| 1972 | 1992 | ||||
| Meters | Meters | ||||
| 1. | Flint Ridge-Mammoth Cave (USA) | 232,000 | 1. Mammoth Cave System (USA) | 560,000 a | |
| 2. | Holloch (Switzerland) | 115,000 | 2. | Optimisticheskaya (Ukraine) | 178,000 b |
| 3. | Optimisticheskaya (USSR) | 92,000 | 3. | Holloch (Switzerland) | 137,000 |
| 4. | Creenbriar-Organ System (USA) | 70,080 | 4. | Jewel Cave (USA) | 127,200 |
| 5. | Jewel Cave (USA) | 50,400 | 5. | Siebenhengstehohlensystem (Switzerland) | 110,000 |
| 6. | Reseau de Palomera-Dolencias (Spain) | 46,000 | 6. | Ozernaya (Ukraine) | 107300 b |
| 7. | Eisriesenwelt (Austria) | 42,000 | 7. | Cue Air Jernih (Malaysia) | 100,500 c |
| 8. | Binkley’s Cave System (USA) | 40,000 | 8. | Wind-Cave (USA) | 96,900 |
| 9. | Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (GB) | 40,000 | 9. | Lechuguilla Cave (USA) | 93,600 d |
| 10. | Reseau de la Dent de Crolles (France) | 31,060 | 10. | Reseau de la Coume d’Hyouernede (France) | 90300 e |
| 11. | Easgill Caverns (GB) | 30^00 | 11. | Sistema de Ojo Guarena (Spain) | 89,100 |
| 12. | Blue Spring Cave (USA) | 30,400 | 12. | Fisher Ridge Cave System (USA) | 85300 |
| 13. | Reseau Trombe (France) | 30,000 | 13. | Zoluska (Ukraine) | 82,000 b |
| 14. | Ozernaya (USSR) | 26360 | 14. | Sistema Purificacion (Mexico) | 76300 |
| 15. | Ogof Agen Allwedd (GB) | 24300 | 15. | Friar’s Hole System (USA) | 69,200 |
a. The most recent connection was that to Roppel cave with its 17km-long streamway! It is expected that the Fisher Ridge Cave System (12) may one day also join Mammoth.
b. All these caves are formed in gypsum, giving very complex shallow caves.
c. The majority of this system has been explored by British teams.
d. A relatively recent discovery, which contains probably the finest known formations in the world with some gypsum chandeliers measuring up to 6m in length.
e. Now has some 34 entrances and includes the Reseau Trombe and Reseau de la Henne Morte. Its depth is 1,004m.
The World s Deepest Caves
| 1972 | 1992 | ||||
| Meters | Meters | ||||
| 1. | Gouffre de la Pierre Saint-Martin (France) | 1,171 | 1. | Reseau Jean Bernard (France) | 1,602 f |
| 2. | Gouffre Berger (France) | 1,141 | 2. | Shakta Pantjukhina (Georgia) | 1308 |
| 3. | Gouffre des Aiguilles (France) | 980 | 3. | Sistema del Trave (Spain) | 1,441 |
| 4. | Abisso Michele Gortani (Italy) | 920 | 4. | Puerta de lllamina (Spain) | 1,408 |
| 5. | Gouffre de Cambou de Liard (France) | 908 | 5. | Cueva Cheva (Mexico) | 1386 |
| 6. | Gouffre della Preta (Italy) | 886 | 6. | Sneznaya-Mezonnogo (Georgia) | 1370 |
| 7. | Reseau Trombe (France) | 880 | 7. | Boj Bulok (Uzbekistan) | 1368 g |
| 8. | Gruberhornhohle (Austria) | 854 | 8. | Sistema Huatla (Mexico) | 1353 h |
| 9. | Sumidero de Cellagua (Spain) | 853 | 9. | Reseau de la Pierre Saint-Martin (France) | 1342 i |
| 10. | Grotta di Monte Cucco (Italy) | 821 | 10. | Sistema Cuicateca (Mexico) | 1,243 |
| 11. | Reseau Ded (France) | 780 | 11. | Reseau Berger (France) | 1,242 j |
| 12. | Sima de la Pina Blanca (Spain) | 775 | 12. | Sistema V.llyukhin (Georgia) | 1,240 |
| 13. | Jaskini Sneiznej (Poland) | 752 | 13. | Schwersystem (Austria) | 1,219 k |
| 14. | Ghar Parau (Iran) | 751 | 14. | Gouffre Mirolda (Austria) | 1,211 |
| 15. | Hollach (Switzerland) | 742 | 15. | Abisso Olivifer (Italy) | 1,210 |
f. This became the world’s third 1,000m-deep system in 1976, when a depth of 1,208m was reached. It now has eight entrances.
g. A quite amazing cave, consisting almost wholly of one long, narrow canyon passage reaching this great depth with only two 25m rope-pitches.
h. Also 52,600m long.
i. The second cave in the world to reach 1,000m in 1965. It is now 52,100m long.
j. In 1956 this became the first cave to exceed 1,000m. It is still a much visited system and is still considered to be one of the finest.
k. Includes a 205m pitch.