The water from Priest's Tarn was historically used for hydraulic mining purposes during the lead industry on Grassington Moor.

The flow of water largely exits the hill to the south-east into Grimwith Reservoir, which in turn feeds into the River Wharfe.

[4] Walkers who have navigated to the tarn, state that it has largely dried up in comparison to the expanse shown on Ordnance Survey maps.

The cairn marks the spot above ground where the bodies of six cavers were found after they had drowned in a flash flood underground.

[9] Priest's Tarn sits atop the Black Keld Catchment SSSI; one of the largest and deepest cave drainage systems in England.