0090: Mantequilla, Cueva de la
El Camino 30T 452708 4796841 (Datum: ETRS89. Accuracy code: M) Altitude 200m
Length 59m Depth 5m
Area position : Site entrance in context : Logbook search

Updated 8th November 2003; 28th February, 15th April, 15th June, 20th December 2008

The site was revisited a number of times in February 2008 partly because of an extension expectation to "A single, choked gallery". After enlarging a calcited rift and descending a 4m pitch, it was found that the site had been throughly explored by "thin men" back when the survey was produced in 1964.
The length and Spanish survey have been revised and finally the cave completely resurveyed. Glazed pottery and (presumably Civil War) tin cans and bullets have been recovered from the entrance chamber. Further illustrated information about the Civil War in the area can be found here.

The entrance can be seen as a black hole from a good distance. The 5m high entrance chamber contains a large calcite boss and down to the right is an alcove containing a possible ibex skull and other bones and remains. A climb at the rear right of the chamber rises to an alcove. (This was tackled at Easter 2008).

A step up on the left hand side of the chamber leads to a short crouch to a 2m climb down into a well decorated room. At the far side is a rift (enlarged in 2008) with a squeeze up to the head of a drop. This can be laddered from a short stal boss on the wall. The 4m pitch lands in another room with formations. Down-slope leads to a pool and a climb above this closes down. Some of the stal bosses have animal scratch marks on them.

References: Fernández Gutiérrez et al, 1966 (survey); Corrin J S and Smith P, 1981; anon., 2008b (February logbook); Smith Peter, 2012
Entrance picture : yes
Underground picture(s): yes
Detailed Survey : from 1964: low res  high resrevised survey, 2008 pdf : complete resurvey, 2008 pdf
Line Survey :
On area survey :
Survex file : yes (Coordinates altered to fit ETRS89 datum, April 2014.)

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