Three Counties System, Cave network in Yorkshire Dales National Park, United Kingdom
The Three Counties System is an extensive cave network in the Yorkshire Dales that spreads across limestone rock in three counties. Underground streams flow through the passages and create connections between over 40 entrances leading to different chambers and corridors.
The idea of connecting separate cave systems into one network began in the 1960s through systematic exploration and mapping. The final link was established in 2011 after decades of fieldwork revealed and opened up the underground passages.
The passages here bear names tied to local stories and legends, such as Bull Pot of the Witches and Lancaster Hole beneath Barbon Low Fell. These names show how people living in the region have understood and talked about this underground world over time.
Exploring this cave system always requires professional guides and specialized equipment because of its complex underground structure. Visitors should expect challenging conditions since the passages include tight squeezes, water crossings, and varying levels of difficulty.
One surprising feature is that explorers can enter in one county, travel beneath another, and exit in a third. This happens because the underground streams cross the boundaries between Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cumbria.
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