Stile Pot

Location
Grid Reference: SD 7521 7233.

Altitude: 390 m

The entrance is on the far side of the amphitheatre to the left of the track on the north side of the Bar Pot stile.

Description
Stile Pot provides an interesting, tackle-free route into Small Mammal House in Bar Pot.

A free-climbable 5 metre shaft leads to a steeply inclined rift. This pinches in through a constriction, known as the Molestrangler, which drops onto a large block, the Molecrusher, in a small chamber. The way on is down a scaffolded climb through boulders into a short passage. A scaffolded route up through boulders then enters the back of Small Mammal House. The fixed rope in the Molestrangler is Black Marlow and was installed in June 2013.

Access
Permission for access should be obtained from the Ingleborough Estate Office

History
The cave was first recorded in the first edition of Northern Caves1 where it was described as 4.5 metres deep, but subsequent investigation showed that it had never been deeper than a couple of metres. Mike Wooding and John Gardner looked at in 20052 when they were seeking an exit to the small passage found at the top of Small Mammal House. Interest waned after Small Mammal Pot was opened up, but the draught was too tantalising to ignore so a return was made a year later3. After Mike died, a team mainly consisting of John Gardner, John Sellers, Dave Checkley, and Phil Johnstone continued operations until the cave was linked to Small Mammal House in August 20084.

References and Further Reading

 * 1) Brook A, Brook D, Griffiths J. & Long M.H., 1975, Northern Caves Volume 3 Ingleborough, page 75. Dalesman Books, Clapham
 * 2) Gardner J.W., 2005, Small Mammal Pot Project Log, http://www.braemoor.co.uk/caving/smh.shtml - retrieved 29/09/2008
 * 3) Gardner J.W., 2006-2007, Stile Pot Project Log, http://www.braemoor.co.uk/caving/stile2006.shtml - retrieved 29/09/2008
 * 4) Gardner J.W., 2008, "Stile Pot - So Why Bother?" Jnl CPC No. 92, pp 26-27, http://www.braemoor.co.uk/caving/stilepot.shtml - retrieved 03/10/2008
 * 5) Gardner J.W., 2008, "GG's Twentieth Entrance" Descent no. 205, page 10