Giant's Hole

{{Short description|Cave in Derbyshire, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{update|rescues and fatalities|date=December 2020}}

File:Inside Giant's Hole - geograph.org.uk - 188072.jpg

{{Infobox cave

| name = Giant's Hole

| photo = Giant's Hole - geograph.org.uk - 188041.jpg

| photo_caption =

| location = Castleton, Derbyshire

| depth = over {{convert|120|m|ft}}

| length = over {{convert|3|km}}

| grid_ref_UK = SK1194282685

| survey = [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giant%27s_Hole.png Giant's Hole Survey]

| survey_electronic_format =

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| geology =

| entrance_count =

| difficulty =

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| access = No prior permission required but a £3 per caver fee is charged, payable at booth in the parking area

| translation =

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| map = Derbyshire

| map_caption = Giant's Hole within Derbyshire

| coordinates = {{coord|53.34093|N|1.82211|W|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

}}

Giant's Hole is a well-known cave near Castleton in Derbyshire, consisting mostly of large passages. It is a stream-way cave, and part of the Karst topography of the area.{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7d4i1Ss_HY8C&q=giants+hole+castleton&pg=PA63 |chapter=The Castleton Karst |title=Karst Hydrology (IAHS Proceedings & Reports) |editor1-first=Christian |editor1-last=Leibundgut |editor2-first=John |editor2-last=Gunn |editor3-first=Alain |editor3-last=Dassargues |publisher=International Association of Hydrological Sciences |date=1998 |isbn=1-901502-40-6 |accessdate=22 April 2015}}

There is a complex system connecting the cave to Oxlow Cavern and Maskhill Mine to the south. The Entrance Series{{cite web |url=http://www.peakdistrictcaving.info/caveguides/giants_hole_pt1.pdf |title=Giant's Hole, Castleton, Part 1 |work=Micro Guide |publisher=Peak District Caving |date=10 January 2014 |accessdate=22 April 2015}} is easily accessible making it a favourite with novices and groups. The stream that flows into the entrance can be followed through the cave, bypassing three sumps, to the East Canal, Giant's Hole's terminal sump.

There are several major tributary passages and a high-level fossil series that provides an alternative route through the cave and makes up part of the classic "round trip". East Canal has been dived to a depth of {{convert|24|m}} in drought (but water levels are normally much higher). The connection to Oxlow Cavern is a "serious undertaking"{{cite book |title=Caves of the Peak District |publisher=Derbyshire Caving Association |first1=Iain |last1=Barker |first2=John S. |last2=Beck |date=2010 |isbn=978-0-9563473-2-9 |page=92}} and many cavers have underestimated the difficulty of the passage.{{cite web |url=http://www.peakdistrictcaving.info/caveguides/giants_hole_pt2.pdf |title=Giant's Hole Part 2 |work=Micro Guide |publisher=Peak District Caving |date=15 December 2006 |accessdate=22 April 2015}} Access is permissive, on payment of a fee at a parking area near Peakshill Farm. The cave is within the Castleton SSSI.

Since 2002, the Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation has attended 11 callouts to Giant's Hole, one of which resulted in a fatality.{{Cite web|title = DCRO Call-outs Page|url = http://derbyshirecro.org.uk/call_outs.html|publisher = Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation|accessdate = 22 April 2015|first = Paul|last = Lydon|archive-date = 13 April 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150413094328/http://derbyshirecro.org.uk/call_outs.html|url-status = dead}}