Report - Blackrock Caves South Wales 26,8,07

[monk]

Explored with jackal


I first came across these caves about 3 years ago when I was walking my dog, with nothing more than a lighter I squeezed in to take a look, it was quite obvious that this was not just a small cave in the side of a hill….

Forward half a year an I am back up that way again this time joined by jackal, armed with a couple of wankey torches and old clothes we head in once again. We spend about an hour inside but torches fading and lack of proper gear we give up and leave promising ourselves a return trip one day..

Another 2 years gone and it’s the bank holiday we are setting of to do the mines with OT & co and a perfect chance to cross the water and have another go at the caves.

Armed with bash hats, knee pads (a life saver) rope & food we park up and start the long walk to the entrance, once found we sort are gear out and crawl in, inside the cave splits left & right, we take the right passage and make our way along into the main cave past the eagle to a small crawl that jackal has spotted laying down flat we slide and pull ourselves along for about 10 minutes till we reach the pool, another passage thigh deep in water leads of from here, with no waders & not prepared to get soaked we head back to do the left hand cave…

Back to the split we climb the small jagged rocks up to the left hand tunnel over pools of water and through stupidly tight squeezes, we come to a shaft about 7/8 ft deep once down that and through another crawl we can stand up right, a small walk along and the passage turns into a small river getting deeper, I shine the torch down the passage and it does not hit the end (its massive) we decide to call it a night and make our way back out.

We were in the caves for about 4 hours and it was nice to feel the warmth of the night as we headed out, a return trip with waders is defanitly on the cards but here is some pics for now ...

The eagle

Main cave

Sliding door

The crawl

Some parts you couldnt stand a mini tripod up with the camera on

The pool

The left cave

 

[jackal]

Re: Blackrock Caves South Wales report 26,8,07

That looks cracking, where abouts in South Wales is this?

I think these are called Agen Allwedd caves. Well, thats what the map said anyway

Well, what an end to an awesome weekend. I'm cut, I'm bruised, and I ache all over - but it was worth it
It's really hard to get a sense of scale of this place from the photos.

No wonder you don't see many photographic caving reports. Just exploring them is hard enough, let alone dragging a load of camera gear around with you. It's bloody hard work.

when we got out, our cameras looked nearly as dirty and as battered as Lyntons camera. It looks like he digs holes with his.

The Eagles Beak.

Up behind the Eagles Beak, leeds to some of the crawls....brilliant fun.