Is it true that the biggest underground cave complex in Britain is in the Brecon Beacons?

Answer 1

yeh its lovely there :D

Answer 2

Nobody can really say for sure as most cave systems are only partially explored - certainly the more extensive ones are.

Currently it's believed that the largest cave system in the UK is the Lancaster Easegill / Pipkins / Lost John system which lies under parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria. This system is known to be over 100km in length with the Easegill section alone being 72km in length. This compares to the 70km for the Ogof Draenen system and the 50km for the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu system.

The Ogof Ffynnon Ddu system holds the record for the largest vertical range (depth), this being some 308 meters.

The biggest cave in terms of cavern size is Gaping Gill in the Yorkshire Dales which has about the same surface area as a football pitch (although it's longer and narrower) and is high enough to accommodate a 10 storey building. Gaping Gill isn't readily accessible and is the preserve of speleologists (cavers). The 'Catherdal' is a huge cavern in the Dan-yr-Ogof system which is illuminated and open to the public and although I can't say for certain, this is probably the largest cave which is accessible to the general public.

Answer 3

The Ease GIll Cave System is generally considered the longest in the UK (reference 1) at 70,500 meters in length, followed by Ogof Draenen at 66,000 meters.

"The Caves under and around Ease Gill on the Cumbria/Lancashire of border of the UK form the longest and most complex system in Britain." (Reference 2)

The Brecon Beacons are in Wales; if I understand the geography of the UK correctly (and I may not), these two areas are mutually exclusive. Cumbria is in the extreme north of England. while Wales is to the southwest.

Answer 4

The white scar cave at ingleton in North yorkshire is the longest showcave in Britain...
Deep Beneath Ingleborough Hill

in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, lies a hidden world which has been sculptured by nature over thousands of years.

Imagine a subterranean landscape, beautifully lit, with gushing streams and waterfalls, exotic cave formations, and a huge ice-age cavern adorned with thousands of stalactites.

This is White Scar Cave -


White Scar Cave
Ingleton
North Yorkshire
LA6 3AW

Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Answer 5

Extensive cave complexes tend to develop in areas where the bulk of the geology is limestone (Calcium Carbonate, CaCO3). This because, even without pollution-based acid rain, rainwater is slightly acid owing to the dissolution of carbon dioxide in water: CO2 + H2O > H2CO3 (carbonic acid).

Rainwater running off vegetation also picks up acid compounds from leaves, especially evergreen trees and heather. Limestone is highly faulted into natural blocks and rainwater seeping into the interstices dissolves them away until after many moons, cave systems.

The Brecons, I believe, are granite, not limestone so although it is possible for caves to form in this hard, mainly insoluble material, probably as a result of tectonic activity or site specific conditions the greatest/longest systems tend to be found in limestone areas like the alternatives presented by some of the other answers.

Answer 6

The London underground system.

Answer 7

I don't know, but I do know that it was voted Britain's Favourite National Park recently.

I'd love to visit there.

Answer 8

This site is great, it has a list of records for UK and USA caves:

http://www.cavinguk.co.uk/info/Records.htm

the biggest chamber is here:

http://www.bpc-cave.org.uk/gaping_gill.htm

So i think the answer is no.

Answer 9

yes it is, lovely place and if you go off beaten track u will be suprised at what u find xx be careful tho xx and have you checked the folk tales and myths xx

Answer 10

i dont know but the liedenbrock sea underneath scotland is possibly, but the entrance is in iceland--very eerie