This film by amateur film maker Ronald Pringle, a member of the Craven Pothole Club, showing potholers exploring Gaping Gill underground river and caves in North Yorkshire. The film develops into a dramatic story of potholers lost in caverns underground as the waters from Fell Beck which feed into Gaping Gill become torrential and dangerous. The film opens with general views of Fell Beck and tents belonging to potholers forming a small camp not far from Gaping Gill. A man dressed in...

This film by amateur film maker Ronald Pringle, a member of the Craven Pothole Club, showing potholers exploring Gaping Gill underground river and caves in North Yorkshire. The film develops into a dramatic story of potholers lost in caverns underground as the waters from Fell Beck which feed into Gaping Gill become torrential and dangerous. The film opens with general views of Fell Beck and tents belonging to potholers forming a small camp not far from Gaping Gill. A man dressed in protective clothing essential for potholing, assists a woman, Sylvia Cook wife of fellow club member Len Cook, into a waterproof cape and protective helmet. Nearby, a gantry made from wooden planks and scaffolding over the entrance to Gaping Gill incorporates a bosun's chair, which is used to lower cave explorers into Gaping Gill.The woman is secured into the chair. The waters of Fell Beck disappear into Gaping Gill.  On the gantry the winch unwinds the cable as the woman is lowered into the chasm. The film follows the descent into the chasm (very dark footage in places). General views follow of the winch gear at the surface. The woman releases herself from the chair after a successful descent, takes off the cape and tethers it to the chair. She then blows a whistle which is a signal to the winchman on the surface. A man joins the woman and they walk off together to explore. They climb amongst rocks and squeeze through tight passages. At the surface a brief view follows of the campsite and of increasingly turbulent water in the stream. A dam made of corrugated metal, helps to stem the flow of water. The man and woman in the cave continue to explore. Another potholer wades through a passage knee deep in water. Back on the surface, the stream is now a torrent, and is beginning to flood the campsite and break through the dam. The water that was pouring into Gaping Gill is now a raging cascade, and is hampering access to the gantry and the chair lift. Superimposed pictures of the woman potholer appear on a background picture of the torrent. Onlookers from the surface camp look grimly at the waters raging into Gaping Gill. The film ends with general shots of camp area and Fell Beck