Updated 27th October 2001; 23rd December 2008; 22nd May 2014; 6th, 29th, 30th January 2024
The old grid reference was ETRS89: 30T 451918 4797801. The cave was first explored at Easter 1997.
A walk-in entrance in the wood to a roomy chamber where Germán used
to keep a couple of cows. At the back, down where the slurry drained away,
is an excavated hole where bronze age
pottery was discovered (out of context). A short squeeze enters a decorated
12m long chamber to a further squeeze to a view across a large, calcited
pit.
A walk around the right of the pit leads to a breakdown area which characterises the rest of the cave. Large and small blocks are manoeuvred around until a large chamber is reached, with giant boulders. A clamber up the right ends at a drippy area on top of the blocks. A climb down to west chokes. There are many fossils in breakdown throughout the cave.
Was the site completely finished at Easter?
The pottery was part of a 26cm pot with finger impressions on the rim and
it has been compared to pottery found in site 2139.
(Smith P, Corrin J and Ruiz Cobo J, 2008).
The cave was entered again in January 2024 when photos were taken and videos near the end. Further discoveries "will probably be at the far end in the area of large breakdown and could prove to be ‘exciting’!" Site 1488 is just to the north of the final chamber.
Reference: anon., 1997a (Easter logbook); Corrin Juan, 1998; Smith Peter and Ruiz Cobo Jesús, 1999; Ruiz Cobo Jesús and Smith Peter et al, 2001 (includes a line drawing); Ruiz Cobo Jesús and Smith Peter, 2003; Smith P, Corrin J and Ruiz Cobo J, 2008; Ruiz Cobo Jesús et al, 2008 (survey); anon., 2014b (Easter logbook); anon., 2023e (Christmas logbook); anon., 2024a (January, February logbook)
Entrance pictures : 1997 and 2024
Underground picture(s): Easter 1997 - entrance squeeze stal 1 stal 2 flowstone : January 2024
Video: Investigations January 2024 (YouTube)
Detailed Survey : Easter 1997
Line Survey :
On area survey :
Survex file : 1997 (Amended magnetic declination December 2013 to align with Eur79 grid and coordinates altered to fit ETRS89 datum, April 2014.)