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BB2523
: The Bull Pot of the Witches
Wednesday 25th June 2025
I know what Philip would have said. “It’s music, Jim, but not as we know it!” And he is right. It’s not what we expected to hear when we set
off to the Bull Pot. Not that we
intended caving of course. What was
planned was a linear walk from Casterton to Leck with Bullpot Farm being our
turning point.
Starting from the Fellfoot Road junction meant, firstly, that
we could get a fair bit of climbing done on four wheels, secondly, park next to
one of the Andy Goldsworthy sheepfolds and, thirdly, watch two guys hard at
work shearing in a real sheepfold.
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The climb up Brownthwaite Pike is, in its latter stages,
satisfyingly steep and comfortingly short.
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The trig point provides a fine viewpoint but unfortunately today,
though improving, the weather wasn’t great so neither was visibility.
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It had been a late start so Tony was inevitably getting
anxious about his lunch We reassured him
that the dining facilities were not far away.
When we reached the Farmhouse, home to the Red Rose Cave and Pothole
Club, it was obvious from the number of vehicles that (unlike our last visit) we
would not be the only visitors. We
hallooed and a head appeared out of the window.
We explained that we weren’t cavers but would welcome the chance to sit
at their tables out the back to eat our butties. After consultation with unknown faces, he
agreed.
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Whilst we were eating, a hairy man came out to chat with
us. He explained that there was shortly
to be a big caving event run from the house and that they were getting ready to
prepare the various holes. From the near
distance I could hear some strange music.
Our departure was by the bridle path that runs south. Immediately after the farmhouse is the said
Bullpot itself, fortunately fenced off to stop Stan exploring its
entrance. Attached to a rock is a plaque
to a poor guy who died “whilst diving in Bull Pot of the Witches”. The vegetation covers much of the orifice so
your imagination is needed to visualise the terrors that lie beneath.
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However, you can get a clue from the
weird music that
seemed to be emerging from the chasm. Was
it the Witches?
Our route back led to the crossing of Ease Gill.
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Although short it was a seriously steep
descent to the beck and a steep climb out.
Fortunately, unlike our last visit, a path had been cut through the
bracken so it wasn’t the challenge it had been previously.
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We didn’t attempt to explore the caves though I did make a small
detour down through the bracken to see what could be seen which was a lot of
bracken and a distant waterfall. The
others said they were quite happy to wait and see the photograph.
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Before reaching Leck is what is shown on the map as “Castle
Hill” and marked as a Settlement. It is a large grassy area surrounded by a
ditch that presumably was once a lot deeper than it now is.
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Back
at Leck, in the church car park waiting for us, was Robin who hasn’t been able
to join us since March and is still carrying a foot injury. Fortunately he isn’t carrying an arm or throat
injury, nor were any of us as we supped in the Royal Barn. But what was that music playing?
Was it Paddy Steer singing?
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Of
course there was no such music.
But
the conversation in the pub
did turn to not having had a
song in the report for a while
so when I discovered "Bull
Pot of the Witches"
by Paddy Steer" it was
too good an opportunity to miss!
Enjoy!
Don,
Wednesday 25th June 2025
PS
If you want to have a
better idea of what is down
the Bull Pot, see the posting
by
Kendal
Caving Club.
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