Fadmoor Caves

Moorland Caver (2003)

NGR:SE 674896
Altitude:160m
Access: Permission to descend not granted
Grade: I
Entertainment value: II

Three caves situated in a disused limestone quarry to the east of Boonhill Road, North of Fadmoor. Fadmoor I & II lie in the southeast corner of the quarry whilst III is on the north side.

FADMOOR I
Length: 33m
This cave is the finest example of a abandoned phreatic stream passage in the whole of the North Yorkshire Moors, with its perfectly rounded passage and beautiful scallops one could easily be in the Dales.
Hands and knees crawling in a roomy passage 2m wide and 1 m high. Over a partial roof collapse (Hayes’ 1941 dig) and past a 2.5m high aven on left. Passing through the M.S.G. 1971 dig gives access to a further 2m of passage. Cavable passage ends at a point where the roof drops to within a few cm. of the clay floor (diggable).

FADMOOR II
Length: 14m
Cave is located in the same face and 3m higher than Fadmoor I. Obvious cave type entrance with roomy passage, leading to a boulder ruckle after circa 10m. The ruckle is passable for circa 4m to a complete choke.

FADMOOR III
Length: 11m
Tight passage opens out slightly before ending too low. Exploration of this small and uninspiring grade I cave is hampered by some extremely aggressive chickens nesting in the entrance.

History
At some date prior to the 1940s Fadmoor I & II were discovered by quarrymen one of whom, a Mr. G. Windress of Gillamoor, explored them. This work was followed up by Raymond Hayes & Co. who did some digging and extended I past the first roof fall. The M.S.G. were active in Fadmoor during the early 1970s extending Fadmoor I to its current conclusion in circa 1970/1 and exploring III in 1974.