A Three Peaks Blast from the Past

The places you drag your little ones trying so hard to convince them that it's better than Blackpool.  You do succeed eventually.  Some of these are a little grainy as they are copies of prints.  My teenagers won't thank me for them.

Valley Entrance, Kingsdale 2004.  This is actually the 'roof tunnel' leading to a drop into the Kingsdale Master Cave, for which you need gear - but it's a great romp through for any age as far as the drop itself.  You can also play at being a Clanger - as my son Joe is doing here.  He was six at the time so it will be a tighter squeeze these days.

Just inside the entrance things get very wet indeed at the 'duck' though there's less water than when I was a kid.  It's great fun, but in very wet weather it can reach the roof and cut you off - so you have to be careful! Joe didn't actually pose for this: I snapped him as he was passing through.  Remember this was taken in pitch black conditions.

The Three Peaks do offer less daunting, but still exciting pastimes, like the Settle Falconry Centre - taking Harris hawkie for a walkie!

Or peering into the awe-inspiring Juniper Gulf - way up on the wilds of the Ingleborough 'allotment'.  

Trying to move the unmoveable on Scales Moor ...

Attempting the Malham Tarn Splits ...

Or heading into the dreaded 'Tube' in Roger Kirk Cave at Ribblehead.  There's about 20 cm of airspace and a lot of cold water.  Fortunately it's only short but adults have to lie on their back in the water and keep the nose upwards.  It helps if you keep one arm in front and one behind, or you might get stuck.  

Climbing out of Rowten Pot in Kingsdale after a trip through Rowten Cave can be invigorating ....

As can posing in the beautiful and friendly Great Douk Cave - the first cave I did as a youngster.

Sometimes, however, it's grand to be up on the high ground in the good old Yorkshire air - such as here on Park Fell - with Ingleborough behind.

We'll revisit all these places over the course of the year in detail ...