Can I visit the Three Counties System as a tourist?

No, it's not a show cave. The Three Counties System is only for competent, properly equipped cavers who obtain the necessary permits from the clubs managing different entrances. You'll need caving experience, specialized gear, and current access information from CNCC.

How long is the Three Counties System?

It currently measures over 86 kilometres of surveyed passage with a vertical range of 253 metres. The length keeps growing as cavers discover new passages and connections.

Why is it called the Three Counties System?

Because the cave network actually extends across the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Westmorland (now Cumbria). The limestone passages formed by water don't respect administrative boundaries.

Beneath the Dales

Three Counties System: Britain's Longest Cave Network

Beneath Leck Fell lies Britain's most extensive cave system, where surveyed passages cross county lines and new connections keep changing the map.

27 August 20266 min read