Hylton Hall to Dusty Junction

From Ease Gill

Hylton Hall[edit | edit source]

Hylton Hall is a chamber at the base of the Link Pot entrance pitch. It is on the route between Lancaster Hole and the caves of Leck Fell. The chamber is a few metres wide, and quite long. Several stacks of rocks appear to be supporting the roof.

The following are described in an clockwise direction.

  • The Link Pot Entrance Pitch (P15) is to the left when looking up slope. The pitch is climbable in extremis, but is best pre-rigged.
  • [Upslope leads to an inlet.]
  • [Opposite the entrance pitch is a side passage.]
  • 8m downslope from the entrance pitch is a slit in the left-hand wall, Pybus Bypass; this is the start of the route towards Pippikin Pot and Serendipity.
  • Continuing downslope is the route to Echo Aven, the start of the route to Lancaster Hole.

Pybus Bypass to Squid Junction[edit | edit source]

In Hylton Hall, 8m downslope from the Link Pot entrance pitch, is a slit in the left-hand wall, Pybus Bypass. This leads immediately to a slot up into larger passage. After a few steps, the passage lowers to a crawl past a side passage to the left. The passage enlarges to walking again, and soon reaches Squid Junction.

  • To the left is the route to Dusty Junction and the caves of Leck Fell.

Squid Junction to Dusty Junction[edit | edit source]

The passage from Squid Junction to Dusty Junction takes about 15 minutes. Care: sections flood to the roof in wet weather.

From Squid Junction, stooping passage, with a small stream, soon lowers to a crawl. A junction is soon reached with an inlet entering from ahead. The way on is to the right, soon passing a passage to the left. Continuing crawl downstream, with a trickle of water, leads to a short oxbow and then a longer oxbow. Soon after the stream is regained, the Wet Wallow is reached: a low wet crawl with about 15cm of airspace.

Beyond the Wallow, a cross rift is reached, with an aven to the right. The way on is a slither down over a boulder, ahead to the right. The water is lost, but soon another inlet is met, entering ahead on the right. The way on is to crawl ahead to the left. A low section is followed by a brief walk up a slope. This leads to yet more crawling, with some sections of deeper water. After a few minutes, the passage opens out at Dusty Junction.