button to main menu   West's Guide to the Lakes, 1778/1821

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Page 274:-
dome is placed immediately over it, which nicely corresponds to the hollow receptacle at the bottom. Into this bason a rivulet falls down a steep rock above six feet high, which is very dangerous to get up, and must be done at the expense of a wet skin, except a ladder is taken along with the party, or the waters are less copious than when we were there: there is also some danger lest the adventurer should fall back, and have his bones broken by circumjacent rocks, or be drowned in the doctor's bason. After having surmounted this obstacle, and proceeded some yards farther, we were favoured with an egress into our own element, as was before observed; no unwelcome change, after having been so long excluded from it. After having rested ourselves a little, we returned to the chasm where we first entered Long-churn, and descending again, pursued the rivulet eastward, along another extensive subterranean passage called Dicken-pot, which slopes and winds by degrees till it enters the ghastly and tremendous Alan-pot. We went an hundred and fifty-seven yards along this 'antre-vast,' till we came to a steep rock full twelve feet perpendicular. Here we stopped - a wise consideration. We might have descended perhaps without danger; but the question was, how were we to get up again; which, without ropes or a ladder, would be totally impracticable. At the far end was an elegant lofty dome, called by the country people St. Paul's. There is no doubt but if we had ventured further we might have come to Alan-pot, at least so near as either to have seen the water that stagnates at its bottom, or the light that is admitted into this gaping monster of nature.
There are several other caves, all along from hence, on the south side of Ingleborough, above the village of Clapham, to Ingleton; but we postponed the pleasure of exploring these hidden recesses of nature till another summer. We descended from hence, along the banks of the river Ribble, four or five miles farther, to the village of Horton, situated at the bottom of the lofty and elegant mountain Pennegant. As we went along we passed a large heap of small round stones, called an [hurder]
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gazetteer links
button -- "Alun Pot" -- Alum Pot
button -- "Horton" -- (Horton in Ribblesdale)
button -- Ingleborough Cave
button -- Ingleborough
button -- "Long Churn" -- Long Churn Cave
button -- Pen-y-ghent

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