Leck Fell
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| Leck Beck Head Catchment Area | |
|---|---|
| Area of Search | Cumbria, Lancashire |
| Grid Reference | SD669797 |
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 703.1 hectare |
| Notification | 1959[1] |
| Location Map | English Nature |
Leck Fell is an area of typically heavily grazed open moorland of rough grass and remnant patches of heather with little or no tree cover, characterised by the virtual absence of surface drainage and an extensive subterranean drainage network resulting in cave systems and numerous sink holes.[2] It surrounds the high point of Gragareth (625 metres) between Leck Beck and Kingsdale.
The pasturing of animals, along with changes in the climate in the later Bronze Age, contributed to deforestation of the open fell sides and the development of hill peat deposits.[2] The present landscape is dominated by long straight enclosure walls of later 18th or 19th century date.[2]
A number of important cave systems have been known and explored since the 1930s on Leck Fell, many of which have been linked below the water table by cave diving. These include:
- Lost John's Cave
- Rumbling Hole
- Notts Pot
- Short Drop Gavel
- Ireby Fell Cavern
A formal permitting system operates for access to the caves, with no caving allowed in April, May, and June.[3]
For cavers, the change into and out of caving gear at the side of the road on Leck Fell is often the most extreme part of any trip, with horizontal sleet or hail storms being typical conditions.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Site Name: Leck Beck Head Catchment Area. English Nature.
- ^ a b c A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire - Landscape Character Assessment. Retrieved on 2008-02-03.
- ^ Leck Fell FAQ. Council of Northern Caving Clubs.
- ^ The saga of Notts Pot, flood styley. Pendle Caving Club (2 November 2003).
