Lost Johns' Cave

Location
Grid Reference: |Car%20Park;54.203503;-2.505293&centre=54.202996;-2.505648&scale=17 SD 6707 7864

Altitude: 354m

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

From the parking space, walk back down the road for a 100 metres. There is a gate in the wall to your left. Go through this and 15m in front of you is the entrance where a stream sinks.

Description
Lost Johns' provides numerous options of descent:

Rigging Topo

The Old Roof Traverse / Monastery route ends in a sump, but can be undertaken as a short exchange trip with Cathedral / Dome via Shale Cavern.

The New Roof Traverse gives access to Cathedral / Dome and Mud / Centipede routes. Descending Dome pitch provides a connection with the Old Roof / Monastery route. Swinging off Dome pitch through a window joins the passage from Mud / Centipede - the continuing route descends Candle & Shistol, Valhalla and the final pitch where a short walk brings you to Groundsheet Junction and the Leck Fell Master Cave.

Downstream can be followed easily for many hundreds of metres, passing the aqueous Rumbling Hole inlet along the way. Eventually the canal of the Long Pool is reached - the Master Cave continues, passing Death's Head Hole Inlet, before eventually reaching a sump. The Gavel Pot inlet joins the sump after 15 metres, and the main passage has been explored to Leck Beck Head via Witches Cave, passing a link with the Pippikin Pot Lower Streamway downstream sumps en route.

Heading upstream in the Master Cave gives two options. The first heads via Lost Pot Inlet and The Tube to emerge under a bridge between two aven systems; one connects with Boxhead Pot the other It's A Cracker and the seriously collapsed connection to Lost Pot.

The second ascends boulders and then the Lyle Cavern pitch to enter high level passages, a short decorated passage intersects a further large passage. To the left, following easy going passage a hole in the floor descends to an involved route via the Tate Galleries to Boxhead Pot. To the right, after a short traverse, the passage reaches a choke. This provides a loose connection to Notts II via a long, impressive, convoluted dug and shored route.

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

History
According to the Balderstons, the cave is named after "two men - both of whom were named John - having once, after their candles had gone out, utterly lost their way". Hence the apostrophe should come at the end.

References and Further Reading

 * 1) Balderston R. & M., 1888, "Ingleton: Bygone and Present", Simpkin, Marshall & Co., London and Edmondson & Co. Skipton. pp.69-70