One of Yorkshire’s best thrill rides isn’t a rollercoaster at Flamingoland or Lightwater Valley, sledging at the Xscape complex, or even paragliding at Sutton Bank.

Thousands walk up Ingleborough each year and admire the stunning scenery of the Yorkshire Dales, but below their feet is one of the wonders of Yorkshire – Gaping Gill – and only a few hundred people every year get the chance to take the ride of a lifetime into the bowels of the earth.

Twice a year, cavers from local clubs take members of the public down, and you can’t get much more of a thrilling experience for £10.

Secured like the seat on a rollercoaster, I descended on a wet and windy day in a metal cage-like bosun’s chair attached to a steel winch cable and a separate safety cable that had passed all the stringent health and safety checks needed.

You don’t have to grip the sides of the chai, but I did – and I bet many others do!

The floor is, literally, taken away from you on the scaffold-and-plank platform perched over the entrance to the chasm and then you’re off at speed.

The walls are close enough to touch, and then in a moment they are no longer there and you’re plummeting more than 330ft down into the unknown darkness.

The descent takes less than a couple of minutes, but it can feel a lot, lot longer to reach the floor of the cavern where the welcoming arms of the volunteer cavers clutch you to safety.

Relief washed over me and then, after a quick dismount, I walked to a waiting guide and, elated, could finally take in the enormity of where I was.

Australians boast that Ayres Rock is so big it is the biggest single lump of rock in the world. An American could reply that in the Grand Canyon, his country had a hole big enough to swallow it.

I was reminded of that when I arrived on the pebbly floor of Gaping Gill. I imagined the people of the Vale being very proud of York Minster which is huge, the biggest Gothic Cathedral in northern Europe. Ground to tip of tower is 197ft, west front to east window is 518ft and the transepts span 249ft – a volume of 140,000 cubic metres.

But Dalesmen can match them.

The main shaft of Gaping Gill itself is 384ft deep with Fell Beck plunging the whole way in a spectacular cascade. It makes it Britain’s highest unbroken waterfall.

The chamber is 446ft long and 151ft wide and in volume matches the great minster in size. All this underground, just a few feet from the busy path up Ingleborough.

Despite the minster being so impressive, it’s relatively easy for the human eye and brain to take it all in. But for Gaping Gill, its amazing scale and the fact that it is hard to illuminate it all means that I found it difficult to comprehend its immensity.

And then there is the sound.

On a wet day, the waterfall thunders down, a white foaming mass which covers everything in spray. Our guide pointed out the scum from the high-water mark on the wall of the cavern – cave is too small a word for Gaping Gill. That was from the morning. I was just thankful we had come down late in the afternoon.

The immense space is floodlit, but with few reference points, it is hard to gauge just how big it is. The knowledgeable guide leads you round and explains the geology and history of the hole-and-a-half and then you can wander around by yourself until you want to go back up and join the queue for the return trip which takes you back to the sunshine.

Beyond the main cave are numerous passages, but these are only for experienced cavers and should not be entered for safety reasons.

The easiest way to get to the entrance is a four-mile, 90-minute walk up from Clapham where there are plenty of facilities to stock up for your day on – and below – the hills.

If you do have to wait a while, there’s no better place to spend it with stunning scenery and views all around making it a fantastic day with a difference.

Factfile

* The first winch-down meet is on the Spring Bank Holiday weekend – this year from Saturday, May 28, to Friday, June 3 – and is run by Bradford Pothole Club. The second is held by Craven Pothole Club on and before the late August Bank Holiday, this year from Saturday, August 20, to Monday, August 29.

* The clubs are unable to take advanced bookings. Book as soon as you arrive at Gaping Gill by visiting the tent next to the winch.

* Weather conditions can affect the running, so expect a long wait – and possible disappointment.

* Waterproofs and warm clothing are advised. The trip down costs £10.

* For more about Gaping Gill visit bpc-cave.org.uk/gaping_gill.htm or cravenpotholeclub.org.