Easegill System

The Ease Gill Cave System lies beneath the fells of Cumbria, stretching between Leck Fell and Casterton Fell. It holds the record as Britain’s longest and most complex cave system, with over 66 kilometres of passages. Some routes require cave diving to pass through flooded sections. Water from the system emerges at Leck Beck after flowing underground. The first entrance, Lancaster Hole, was discovered in 1946 by George Cornes and Bill Taylor. Explorers soon found more entrances and linked them to the main passages. Jim Eyre and members of the British Speleological Association uncovered the underground course of the Ease Gill and high-level fossil passages. Over time, connections were made to surface caves such as Top Sinks, County Pot and Pool Sink. In 1978, passages were linked to Link Pot and Pippikin Pot, and in 1989 Pippikin Pot was connected to Lost Johns’ Cave by divers. The system offers cavers varied through trips, with the Ease Gill streamway considered one of the finest in the UK. Visitors can enter through multiple shafts and sinks, including Top Sink, Wretched Rabbit and Bull Pot of the Witches. Each entrance leads to a network of passages shaped by water over centuries. The caves remain a challenging and rewarding destination for experienced cavers.