Make no bones about it, this is Britain’s scariest cave! Photographer captures eerie skull in reflection of remote rock face



The photo of the cave, when turned on its side, displays an ominous image of a skull

Only the bravest would tackle a cave whose icy waters have already claimed the lives of several divers.

But if there was any doubt about the peril that awaits at Hodge Close Quarry, one need only look at this picture

The lake at the abandoned slate quarry is an eerie enough site - but as this image shows if you turn your head you are greeted with the terrifying sight of a giant skull.

The image was taken by a diver who had just been into the waters of the quarry near Coniston in Cumbria.

The pool is accessed through a 25-metre long a two-metre-square tunnel.

The spot, which is popular with divers, has claimed the lives of at least three over the years.



Photographer Peter Bardsley said: 'Have a look at this photograph. It's taken at a slate quarry called Hodge Close, near Coniston in the Lake District.

'Divers have died here in the underwater tunnels and climbers have fallen to their deaths.

'This reflection when turned 90 degrees shows a skull. It has not been manipulated in any way and is very spooky. It's like something from an Indiana Jones movie.

'I only noticed it when I was processing the image after getting back home from a dive there.'

In 2005 the Coniston Mountain Rescue Team had to help a 48-year-old diver who had surfaced too fast after thinking he had seen a body under the water there.

The flooded slate quarry's sporting passageways still remain popular with divers.



The main tunnel opens to several chambers along its length and presents a good sporting dive at times when most other diving would be blown or washed out.



The water is generally cold at this depth at 6 Celsius or below.



A warning on a website says: 'Visitors would be prudent to consider their level of training before embarking on any penetration dive here. Three inexperienced divers have died here in past years.'

The lake at Hodge Close slate quarry is only accessed by a series of underwater tunnels



