Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
3 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
3 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
4 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
5 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England North Yorkshire Gaping Gill

Gaping Gill

The largest cave chamber in Britain—big enough to fit a whole cathedral inside.

North Yorkshire, England

Added By
Alan Newman
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Main chamber illuminated for winch meet   Wojciech Rozanski
Main chamber illuminated for winch meet   Wojciech Rozanski
Main chamber   Wojciech Rozanski
Gaping Gill Main Chamber With Waterfall in Full Flow   Andy Jurd
Surface of Main Shaft During Winch Meet   Val Vanet
Gaping Gill’s main chamber   WanderlustDiaries / Atlas Obscura User
Trow Gill on the walk up to the cave looking down   John Lucas
Trow Gill on the walk up to the cave looking up   Mike Green
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Gaping Gill is the largest underground cave chamber in Britain. It's often said, without exaggeration, that this dramatic chamber is big enough to fit a cathedral. It is so big that there has been an attempt to fly a hot air balloon inside the cave.

The vertical main shaft from the surface to the floor of the chamber is about 98m deep and normally contains a substantial waterfall, the route by which the surface stream, Fell Beck, finds its way to the chamber floor.

The chamber and the extensive cave system it is a part of are usually only accessible to experienced and properly equipped cave explorers. But for two separate weeks of the year (around the August and late May public holidays) two local caving clubs provide a winch to allow members of the public to be lowered down the shaft on a boatswain’s chair, and later winched out again. 

The Gaping Gill cave system covers nine miles, but as of 2023 visitors are asked to remain inside the main chamber which has many interesting features. If you would like to explore the nearby passages you will need to be accompanied by an experienced guide. It's a good idea to bring a head torch and wear waterproof clothing as the winch passes you through the spray from the towering waterfall. 

Related Tags

Caves Subterranean Sites Waterfalls Ecosystems Water

Know Before You Go

The top of the main shaft is normally reached by walking up the Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail from the village of Clapham (in North Yorkshire). This is a private trail for which an admission fee of £2.50 (as of 2023) applies. Initially follow the signs to Ingleborough Cave, but after that there are usually a lot of people walking to the entrance in good weather at weekends. A map will be needed at other times and  is advisable in the Yorkshire Dales even if following a well marked trail. The path starts as an easy stroll but gets more strenuous after passing the entrance to Ingleborough Cave (a commercial show cave, itself worth a visit). This includes a spectacular, but steep, limestone gorge called Trow Gill. The walk to Gaping Gill from Clapham will take about an hour but the spectacular scenery makes it worth it. It is a real part of the overall package.

When you reach the top of the well trodden path to the plateau near the top of Ingleborough you should be able to hear the engine which drives the winch. At one (if not both) of the winch meets the chamber is spectacularly lit from time to time. 

The charge for the winch in 2023 was £20. No pre-booking is possible. For more information, look at the Bradford Pothole Club website for the May meet and the Craven Pothole Club link for the August meet. It is also advisable to follow the clubs on social media for daily updates about the weather and availability of tickets. There can be long waits for the descent and ascent so warm clothing and a packed lunch are a must - there are no facilities at Gaping Gill, and only a small shop selling snacks at Ingleborough Cave, half an hour walk away. The floor of the main chamber is very wet so waterproof boots are advisable, as is a head torch.

Plans of the system can be easily obtained from the internet (try: http://www.braemoor.co.uk/caving/ap.shtml ). However visitors are asked to remain inside the main chamber; if you would like to explore the nearby passages you will need to be accompanied by an experienced guide. 

Community Contributors

Added By

Dr Alan P Newman

Edited By

PrestonW, WanderlustDiaries

  • PrestonW
  • WanderlustDiaries

Published

September 27, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • Craven Pothole Club
  • http://www.cravenpotholeclub.org//data/files/Gaping%20Gill%20FAQs/Gaping%20Gill%20Facts%202016V2.pdf
  • Bradford Pothole Club
  • http://www.bpc-cave.org.uk/wp/gg-winch-meet/
Gaping Gill
Unnamed Road
North Yorkshire, England
United Kingdom
54.149501, -2.382564
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Norber Erratics

North Yorkshire, England

miles away

The Ingleton Trail

Ingleton, England

miles away

Ribblehead Viaduct

Chapel-le-Dale, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire

England

Places 20
Stories 2

Nearby Places

Norber Erratics

North Yorkshire, England

miles away

The Ingleton Trail

Ingleton, England

miles away

Ribblehead Viaduct

Chapel-le-Dale, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire

England

Places 20
Stories 2

Related Places

  • Entrance to the cave

    Rožanstvo, Serbia

    Stopića Cave

    Through the colossal entrance to this cave you'll find limestone tubs and an underground waterfall.

  • Devil’s Throat Cave

    Yagodina, Bulgaria

    Devil's Throat Cave

    A spectacular Bulgarian cave resembling a devil's head with a waterfall rushing down its throat.

  • David’s Waterfall

    Ein Gedi, Israel

    David Waterfall

    The tallest waterfall in the Judean Desert is named for its connection to a biblical figure.

  • Pertosa Caves.

    Muraglione, Italy

    Pertosa Caves

    Ride a boat through this magnificent underground world, which now doubles as a theater.

  • Peñíscola, Spain

    Bufador de Peñiscola

    The blowhole bursts spectacularly right next to the buildings in a medieval seaside town.

  • Black Hole Falls

    Canning, Nova Scotia

    Black Hole Falls

    A beautiful waterfall and beach where precious stones are plentiful.

  • Round Mountain, Texas

    Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center

    This beautiful grotto is one of those places where you can't believe you're just outside Austin.

  • Ash Cave.

    Logan, Ohio

    The Caves of Hocking Hills State Park

    Rare recess caves fill this unbelievably beautiful Ohio park.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.