Ogof Draenen

Ogof Draenen
LocationPwll Du, north of Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales
Coordinates51°48′01″N 3°05′36″W / 51.8003°N 3.0933°W / 51.8003; -3.0933
Length66 kilometres (41.0 mi)
Discovery1994
AccessPwll Du Cave Management Group
TranslationHawthorn Cave (Welsh)
Cave surveyOUCC survey information

Ogof Draenen (Welsh for "Hawthorn Cave") entrance is located at Pwll Du, north of Blaenavon, Monmouthshire. At 66 kilometres (41 mi)[a][1] it is the longest cave system in Wales and the second longest in Great Britain behind the Three Counties System on the Cumbria/Lancashire/Yorkshire border.[2][b]

The cave was known only as a small entrance on a steep hillside, until several years of digging broke through into major passage development in October 1994. It was then explored at unprecedented speed to become the longest known cave in Wales.[4] Water has been traced from locations within Ogof Draenen to a resurgence beside the Afon Lwyd at Pontnewynydd several kilometres to the south, where it is used as a supply by Welsh Water.[5][6][7]

Ogof Draenen contains a variety of spectacular decorations and some huge passages: the War of the Worlds section is probably the second largest cave passage in Britain. Its large size and occasional complexity make the cave a challenge for even experienced cavers.[4]

The cave is managed by the Pwll Du Cave Management Group.[1][8]

References

  1. ^ a b Wilton-Jones, Mark (17 April 2013). "Ogof Draenen description". cavinguk.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  2. ^ "Three Counties System Connects to Create UK's First 100 Kilometre Cave System". Caving News. 7 November 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Ogof Ffynnon Ddu 1". Cambrian Cave Registry. Cambrian Caving Council. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Science in Ogof Draenen" (PDF). Speleology. British Cave Research Association. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Pontnewynydd Springs". Cambrian Cave Registry. Cambrian Caving Council. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Tests for Rifleman's Sump". Cambrian Cave Registry. Cambrian Caving Council. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Tests for Into the Black". Cambrian Caving Registry. Cambrian Caving Council. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  8. ^ "Pwll Du Cave Management Group". Pwll Du Cave Management Group. Retrieved 5 January 2022.

Notes

  1. ^ 66 kilometres (41 mi) is the official figure; the true length of passage is still being revised upward, with a more recent estimate of approximately 70 kilometres (43 mi)
  2. ^ The second longest cave in Wales is Ogof Ffynnon Ddu at 59 kilometres (37 mi)[3]