0613: Torcida, Cueva de (Fat Boy G T)
Cobadal 30T 447983 4798010 (Datum: ETRS89. Accuracy code: G) Altitude 180m
Length 673m Depth 24m
Area position : Site entrance in context : Logbook search

Updated 25th May 2003; 1st February, 1st October 2006; 16th April, 1st October 2008; 5th January, 4th February 2009; 19th October 2010; 6th January, 5th October 2011; 23rd April 2013; 21st May, 18th September 2014; 30th June 2018; 13th May 2023

An obvious entrance in a cliff near to the sink leads immediately to a 2m high phreatic tube. The right hand branch goes for about 30m and closes down in a narrow rift which contains an inlet but chokes. The way on becomes too tight, but a faint draught could be felt. A small tube on the right just before the rift can be pushed for 10m. A constriction needs to be removed before continuation.
The left hand branch continues to a breakdown on Orbitolina beds. Just prior to this, on the right, is a phreatic rift/oxbow to the head of a descending tube to the head of a 5m drop onto blocks. The slope leads to a traverse and climb on the right which leads to another parallel shaft with an inlet above. The shafts link up at the bottom, terminating in a small chamber full of boulders in one direction, and a tight squeeze leading to a drop which may continue but will require enlarging.
The continuation of the main passage over the Orbitolina collapse enters a crawl and a squeeze down to a flat-out section and then easier going. A cross rift on the right leads to a sand climb and the head of a 10m pitch which needs descending. (In August 2014, the digging lead at the base of "the pitch in the second passage on the right" was described as "not brilliant".
Further on, past another (undescended?) drop on the right, a chamber is entered after much calcite. The chamber is about 10m across and contains large boulders and holes in the floor. At the far side a rift may be followed for about 30m to a choke with an inlet cascading down through a roof collapse and a draught blowing in. There appears to be no way on.
Before the chamber, a low level route zig-zags down through bouldery tubes and rifts and ends with a climb into a blind pit with an inlet. This may be glimpsed from the chamber above.
A climb above the final drop into the blind pit enters a rift which arrives at a small, sandy chamber. Down through a low sandy slope enters a small rift which continues for some 60m to a fault. The left hand route continues a short distance to a choke, over drops which are too tight. The right hand route immediately gains an awkward, tight climb into a phreatic chamber. A 10m drop can be seen through possibly diggable boulders which lands in a possible chamber. The draught is being sucked down into it.
In the summer 2006, the choke at the end was visited and it was thought that heavier equipment is required. Also 40m of new passage was dug into / discovered. A short crawl from a sandy passage leading from the chamber pops out in what appears to be the old streamway passage. About 40 metres on, the passage mets a rift, with many loose boulders above and below. A 6 metre pitch was descended and a sandy chamber was found.
A body sized tube with a steep descending stope was explored and further holes in the floor were found: MIKES BIT TO GO HERE
Back in the rift, a letterbox squeeze on the left led to a parallel rift which was too tight to continue. There are various holes in the floor which are very promising leads. The rift becomes too tight to follow.
At Easter 2008, some re-exploration occurred but it was too wet for drilling the choke. Tics were reported in the cave and bats in the roof. In the summer 2008 the cave was completely re-explored, extended and surveyed.

Some cave life was seen in the far reaches of the cave in the summer of 2008, possibly Diplura as pictured on this Australian web site. Spider and bug collecting was carried out during the Easter 2014 expedition.

Dowsing was carried out on the opposite side of the valley to the entrance on 24/7/11. Reactions seemed to indicate at least 2 underground water courses heading southwest from the enclosed depression outside the entrance. Water may also have been sinking in the gulley SSW of the entrance. This all needs further investigation. See links below.

The cave was visited twice in April 2023: bats were seen and the boulder choke at the end was looked at with the possibility of digging in the summer.

Bat information
Date: 7/4/2023
Evidence of occupation (only): roost evidence around entrance; droppings
Bat remains (number): -
Species identified name (number): greater horseshoe bat (1); lesser horseshoe bat (1)
Other notes: well used by other animals
Photos from visit -

References: anon., 1986 (logbook); material in file; anon., 1993c (Easter logbook); anon., 2003b (Easter logbook); Corrin Juan, 2005; anon., 2006d (summer logbook); anon., 2008c (Easter logbook); anon., 2008e (summer logbook); Corrin Juan, 2009; anon., 2011d (summer logbook); anon., 2013b (Easter logbook); anon., 2014b (Easter logbook); anon., 2014c (summer logbook); anon., 2016b (Easter logbook); anon., 2023b (Easter logbook)
Entrance pictures : yes
Underground picture(s): photos from 2003 : taken 2010 : taken Easter 2011
Video : Passage and spiders, Easter 2013
Detailed Survey : pdf file, 2008
Line Survey :
On area survey : pdf file (pre-2008) with Woodcutters', Snottite and Orchard Caves
Dowsing reactions close to this cave : Dowsing reactions from Fuente Aguanaz to here. (Article about the dowsing carried out in July 2011 can be found here.)
Survex file : yes (Amended magnetic declination December 2013 to align with Eur79 grid and coordinates altered to fit ETRS89 datum, April 2014.)
Passage direction rose diagram: 30/6/2018