28th May 2026 - What's Goyden on here then?

For as long as I can remember a trip to Nidderdale has been on our wish list, sporting as it does a trio of caves that should, I'm told, be on every LCMLA level 2's ticket. The coinciding of a period of dry weather and a holiday Thursday aswell as a well timed MOT and service for Tony's car meant the dream could become a reality.

A brief cuppa and slice of, as ever, delicious rhubarb and custard cake at Mike's, a garage pick up of Tony and we were East bound on the Skipton road. Landmarks becoming less familiar and the steady flow of travellers' bow topped wagons heading towards Appleby gave an exotic feel to our Oriental adventure. Past Grassington and I really had no idea where we were anymore, the moors becoming bleaker, their gritstone crenellations silhouetted against cloudless blue skies. Surely there can't be any caves here, it's the wrong sort of rock? The sign for Stump Cross caverns soon put paid to that theory.

We descended into the metropolis of Pately bridge and began the steady climb into Upper Nidderale before parking next to a bricked up railway tunnel within sight of our first objective of the day, Manchester Hole. Hawthorne in full bloom shone bright in the late May sunshine as we crossed the stiles to the entrance. The cool darkness below in stark contrast to the warmth and daylight above. Tony, keen to fully explore with the aim of taking trips here in future headed up stream while Mike and I headed down.

The entrance to Manchester pot

If this was your first experience of caving I'm sure you'd be impressed, it's a stunning stream way. At a knotted rope up a mud slope Tony and I chose to take the high road through the main chamber while Mike took the low through the stream. With no other navigational choices to make we shortly arrived at the sump pool with seemingly no way on. Fortunately we had an ever excellent Braemoor guide with us and quickly located the obscured, wet crawl through to the actual sump chamber.

Tony exiting the damp passage through to the sump chamber

Mike too, enjoying the cool waters

From here the guide that I'd read took you to the surface at Bax pot in just three, fairly innocuous sounding sentences to complete a lovely trip, exactly what Tony was wanting for his clients and what I was expecting for our day out. Mike though had with him a newer guide and a different plan.

He read out the next part of the description and following his instructions I returned down towards the stream. I don't think the next bits of passage will be on Tony's tour itinerary. There's low bits, there's wet bits and there are low, wet bits, even in fact some low, loose, wet bits. Worryingly when we arrived at the 'jumble of boulders tied up with string', the string was missing and Mike quoting other Sound of Music lyrics to me didn't do much to ease my nerves.

Getting our heads around the layout of Goyden pot