Ogof Ffynnon Ddu

One of the entrances to the cave in October 2006

The Ogof Ffynnon Ddu ( German: " Cave of the Black source ") is a stalactite cave near the village of Penwyllt in the southern part of the Brecon Beacons in Wales. With a maximum depth of 308 meters, it is the deepest and with a length of about 50 kilometers, while the third longest cave in the United Kingdom. It is since their discovery in 1946 by the South Wales Caving Club ( Welsh: Clwb Ogofeydd Deheudir Cymru ) manages, explores the caves and in the sections OFD I ( southwestern part ), OFD II ( middle part ) and OFD III ( Northeast ) has divided.

There are three main entrances to the cave system: The Bottom Entrance is located at the southwest end, Cwm Dŵr ( " valley of water " ) in the southwestern part of the section OFD II and the Top Entrance to the northeast of OFD II The inputs are barred and may only permission of the South Wales Caving Club are happen; on the one hand, to prevent vandalism, and secondly, to protect unwary or ill-equipped hikers. Also, a permit from the Countryside Council for Wales is necessary because the cave is located on the country.

Geology

The cave consists mainly of limestone. It was created together with the surrounding landscape before about 350 million years ago.

Ogof Ffynnon Ddu in the grows with the five -meter-long Trident the longest stalactite in the UK. It is located in the stalactite formation The Columns ( "The Pillars " ) in the section OFD II

History

The Ogof Ffynnon Ddu was discovered in August 1946 by the cave hikers Peter Harvey, later President of the South Wales Caving Club, and Ian Nixon. You had noticed that after heavy rains leaked water from a cleft between the rocks; then they began the path of the water track and came across a Höhlenarm, which now belongs to the section I OFD. After about 800 meters you blocking but a heap of boulders the way that they could not handle.

In the early 1960s succeeded in the South Wales Caving Club, remove the stockpile and penetrate further into the cave. However, there was a flooded passageway that could be only in 1966 by submerged.

In September 1967, it managed a team led by Peter Harvey to climb through the cave system for the first time from one input to another. The hikers had entered the cave on the 1963 discovered input Cwm Dŵr and had come back to the surface after a nearly three -kilometer hike on Today's Top Entrance.

Caving

The cave can only be entered in groups of up to six people about the Top Entrance Cwm Dŵr or without a guide. The complete section OFD I is not accessible without a guide, since there exists the danger of flooding in the rain and climbing beginners would be overwhelmed. Some sections are completely cut off because the Calcitstrukturen to be protected. These sections are characterized by bright orange -colored markings. Except for electric lamps any form of lighting is - for example, carbide lamps - forbidden.

There is also the deepest passage route through a cave in the United Kingdom; the height difference between the top and bottom Entrance is at 228 meters.

On the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu the official website (see " Links " ) is offered a virtual tour of the cave. The visitor can move around by about 350 still images of the cave interior, partly recorded in the cave sound effects such as the sound of a stream.

Pictures

The pond at the northeastern end of Pwll Byfre of the cave system.