Notts Pot

Location
Grid Reference: |Iron%20Kiln%20Hole;54.199392;-2.512415|Voldemort;54.198931;-2.509313|Ireby%20Fell%20Cavern;54.190675;-2.501655|Rift%20Pot;54.186832;-2.493055|Large%20Pot;54.186439;-2.488420&scale=15 SD 6709 7780

Altitude: 375 m

Parking is at the usual Leck Fell parking spot - as indicated on the CNCC permit.

Description
Much of the system consists of a complex of shafts which provide a number of options for descent. An initial (free-climbable) pitch from the surface provides access to a short crawl and drop down into the stream passage. The climb back up is awkward, but a P-bolt is is in place for a handline (which might be in situ). Following the passage downstream arrives at a small pitch into Three Ways Chamber, where the main routes diverge.


 * The main routes:
 * Left Hand Route - includes the closely linked Twilight Zone. This is entered along the obvious passage near the pitch.
 * Centre Route - a popular route. This is approached through a somewhat obscure hole in the floor further round in the chamber.
 * Adamson's Route - with its impressive Birthday Pot. This is approached via a rising traverse along the obvious North Inlet passage.
 * BT Route - a more challenging option and not P-Bolted. This is approached through a bedding passage in the wall opposite to Left Hand Route and Centre Route.

All these routes eventually converge, and follow a single passage along the Lower Streamway, and descend the final pitches to the sump. Much of the Lower Streamway is traversed which gives a mainly dry line.

Before the final small pitch is the Ireby Fell Cavern Inlet, where the water emerges from a deep sump. Below the pitch, the main active sump is straight ahead, whilst the static sump, which provided the original way into Notts II is accessed through a fine phreatic tunnel 3 m above the floor.

The obvious shale band in Three Ways Chamber has a small seam of coal embedded within it. This can also be seen a few metres down Birthday Pot.


 * Other passages of significance:
 * Upper Series: Traversing round to the left from the top of the pitch into Three Ways Chamber leads to an oxbow, from which a passage returns to the stream passage above the entrance.
 * De Profundis Series: Stepping off the ledge some 15 m down Birthday Pot, and climbing the rubble slope leads to the impressive 23 m De Profundis Pot. At the bottom of this a climb down enters a passage. One way leads back into Birthday Pot and the other way leads to Yellow Clay Terminus.
 * Acrobat Pot and Far Chamber Series: Traversing over the top of Birthday Pot leads to the free-climbable 5 m Rubble Pot and hence to the 18 m Acrobat Pot. At the bottom of this a series of rifts leads into the Far Chamber Series - a fragment of a major phreatic trunk route.

Access
Access is through a Leck Fell Permit. A closed season operates in the months of April, May and June.

History
Named after Nottingham University Mountaineering Club, the club of P.M.Stott who discovered the entrance, the main three ways down were explored in 1946 by the BSA.1 The fourth way down, Adamson's Route, was discovered by ULSA in March 1967. They also discovered the passages over the top of Birthday Pot which led to Acrobat Pot.2 The Far Chamber Series, below Acrobat Pot were first entered by LUSS in 1968, as were De Profoundis and the Yellow Clay Terminus passages.3 Soon after, BUSS undertook a major re-survey of the cave which was published in 1971.4 The connection with Ireby Fell Cavern was dived by Phil Papard in 1976.5 The extensive Notts II was discovered via the Static Sump in 1986 by the NPC.6

Paula Szajnowska died after falling down the penultimate pitch in September 2004.7