Rowten Pot

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Rowten Pot
Entrance shaft looking south
Location	Kingsdale, North Yorkshire
Depth	105 metres (344 ft)^[1]
Length	259 metres (850 ft)^[1]
Coordinates	54°11.814′N, 2°27.845′W
Discovery	first descent of shaft in 1897^[1]
Geology	Limestone
Difficulty	Grade 4
Access	Free

Rowten Pot is one of several hill top entrances into the West Kingsdale System in North Yorkshire, England. It connects into the Kingsdale Master Cave through a sump which is possible, though not recommended, to free-dive.

The cave is a popular site for practicing Single Rope Technique,^[2] being spacious and relatively complex to rig for a surface shaft. Most of the cave is within sight of daylight with relatively little horizontal development.

The water which falls down Rowten Pot sinks into the ground 150m to the west of the pot on the other side of Turbary Road. This minor horizontal stream system, known as Rowten Cave, is "safe for children to play in", according to Alfred Wainwright.^{[citation needed]}

In 1939 a fatal accident had prompted BBC Radio to broadcast a request for help from all potholers.^[3] The first fatality for the Cave Rescue Organisation on a rescue occurred here in 1986.^[3] An accident involving a threaded and worn out anchor in 1990 resulting in a broken back^[4] hastened the development of eco hangers^[5]^[6]

Other nearby caves include Swinsto Hole, Simpson's Pot, Jingling Pot, and Valley Entrance.

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c Des Marshal, Donald Rust (1997). Selected Caves of Britain and Ireland. ISBN 1-871-89043-8.
^ Rowten Pot - Caves and pots. Black Rose Caving Club (2006-07-08).
^ ^a ^b Ric Halliwell. A Century of British Caving. Craven Pothole Club.
^ Nigel Robertson (Summer 1990). "Short, Sharp Shock at Rowten Pot". Caves & Caving (48): page 31–32.
^ Wookey (1994). Bolting Tatty - A Seven Part Epic pp 17-19. Cambridge Underground.
^ Destruction Test Results - Resin Bonded ECO Anchors. Council of Northern Caving Clubs (1993-04-20).