There’s an enchanting location tucked away in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales which serves as both a breathtaking geological marvel and has captivated visitors for generations.

Concealed within Yorkshire Dales National Park lies the Gaping Gill Cave – amongst Britain’s most expansive underground caverns on record. This cavern’s main chamber is so vast, it could easily house York Minster between its rocky walls and requires a full 60 seconds to reach its base.

Measuring an impressive 129 metres in length, 31 metres in height, and 25 metres in width, Gaping Gill is commonly considered amongst the most complex and extensive cave networks in Britain, though it continues to be unknown to many.

The remarkable cave, formed from the Great Scar Limestone, is spectacular to put it mildly. Whilst its striking topography is impressive in itself, there’s more – Gaping Gill also features a stream that enters through its opening, forming a plunging waterfall that is genuinely magnificent to witness.

Fell Beck enters the Gaping Gill Cave as it tumbles over the edge of an elevated rock, and following its 100-metre descent to the cavern floor in one of Britain’s largest subterranean chambers, Fell Beck’s waters drain away and vanish, ultimately re-emerging beside Ingleborough Cave located 1.3 miles (or a brief 30-minute stroll) distant.

Due to the cave network’s multi-layered complexity and elaborate structure, this link between Gaping Gill Cave and Ingleborough Cave was only established in 1983 by members of the Cave Diving Group, reports Yorkshire Live.

Situated on the southern flanks of Ingleborough, the Yorkshire Dales’ second-tallest summit, Gaping Gill Cave welcomes visitors just twice annually.

During one-week periods in May and August, this spectacular cavern becomes accessible to both experienced and novice cavers, courtesy of the Craven and Bradford pothole clubs who install a winch above the main shaft at the cave’s entrance.

Cavers can then be lowered into the principal chamber of the cave for an unforgettable adventure.

The cave remains closed to the public throughout the remainder of the year owing to its extraordinary complexity, yet back in 1842, John Birbeck from Settle became the first person to attempt a descent into the cavern.

Though Birbeck succeeded in redirecting the beck – assisted by farm workers who lowered him on a rope – he failed to reach the cavern floor and only managed to get to a ledge positioned 58 metres (190 feet) below.

This ledge has since been named Birbeck’s Ledge. Visitors have been utterly amazed by Gaping Gill Cave, with one penning on Tripadvisor: “Omg!!!!! A superb experience which was unique. We were lowered one by one into the Gill which meant we went through the waterfall!!! We spent an hour on the cave floor marvelling at the sound of the roaring water and the sights of the rock formations. We felt immensely privileged to be there. This experience is rare and only available a few days in the year. I’m not clever enough to put into words how we felt but it was awesome!”

Another mesmerised explorer added: “What an amazing experience! The descent into the cave is exhilarating and the walk around the main chamber is something I will never forget. I particularly appreciated having the floodlights so that you could see lots of detail. It is such a popular event that you need to get there really early and waiting times can be long but it is definitely worth it for a once in a lifetime trip! Take good waterproofs!”

How to reach the destination

The remarkable Gaping Gill Cave can generally be accessed from Clapham by strolling beyond Ingleborough Cave and climbing up onto the hillsides of Ingleborough mountain.