29 October 2025
CONSERVATION

Long Churn stile repair

Stile and fence replacement at Lower Long Churn

On 4th September, CNCC conservation volunteers Ged Benn and Andrew Hinde made repairs to the stile into the fenced enclosure of Lower Long Churn Cave. Anyone who has visited over the last several years will have seen this deteriorate to the point of becoming hazardous.

Andrew Hinde returned on 8th and 23rd October to replace the collapsed fencing, finishing off an excellent job.

The reason for this work was to ensure cavers could safely cross the fence, and to avoid livestock entering the cave, where if they perished could pose a hazard to visiting cavers, including many on their first ever trip underground.

Permission from the landowner was granted and funding came from the CNCC's Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust via their Community Grant Scheme, a match-funding scheme which CNCC was lucky enough to benefit from earlier this year. Other projects under this scheme so far include the cleanup at Yordas Cave and fencing at Pasture Gill Pot.

Thanks to Stu Coxan for reporting the issue and Ged and Andrew for their excellent work.

© 2025 Council for the Northern Caving Community.