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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Dan-yr-Ogof Caves
Dan yr Ogof (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈdan ər ˈoːɡɔv]), at the National Showcaves Centre for Wales, is a 17-kilometre (11 mi) long cave system in south Wales, about 5 miles (8 km) north of Ystradgynlais and 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Brecon, in the Brecon Beacons National Park. It is the main feature of a show cave complex, which is claimed to be the largest in the United Kingdom and is a tourist attraction in Wales. The first section of the cave system is open to the public, but the extensive cave system beyond is scheduled as a national nature reserve and is open only to bona fide cavers.

The bones of some 42 humans, as well as numerous animal bones, have been found in one of the nearby chambers of this cave system. In a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, Dan yr Ogof was named as Britain's greatest natural wonder.

Exploration

Roundhouses at Dan yr Ogof
Dinosaur exhibition at Dan yr Ogof

The cave was first explored in 1912 by three local brothers, Edwin, Tommy and Jeff Morgan, using candles and primitive equipment. Completely unsure of what they would discover, they armed themselves with a revolver. Edwin was the first to enter, as he was the smallest of the Morgan brothers. Initial expedition was halted at a large lake, which they later managed to cross by coracle. They eventually crossed three more lakes in the same manner, but were stopped by a tight crawl.

This squeeze, known as the Long Crawl, was first passed by Eileen Davies, a member of the South Wales Caving Club in 1963. The initials 'PO' were found by Eileen Davies at the pitch to Gerard Platten Hall. Peter Ogden had not descended the pitch due to lack of the required equipment and was prevented from returning by an extended period of bad weather. Exploration has been steadily continued by later cavers who have extended the cave to its present 17-kilometre (11 mi) length. Some of this length was reached by cave diving. One of these explorers was Martyn Farr, who wrote a book about the system in which he claims that the system will eventually be extended to at least 150 km (93.2 mi).

Filming location

The cave was used as a filming location for the Doctor Who serial The Pirate Planet.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Dan Yr Ogof Tourist Entrance". Cambrian Cave Registry. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  2. ^ "Dan yr Ogof". Dan yr Ogof Cave Advisory Committee. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
  3. ^ "Bone Cave". The National Showcaves for Wales. Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
  4. ^ "Caves win 'natural wonder' vote". BBC Wales. 2 August 2005. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
  5. ^ "Wardens' Newsletter 2008" (PDF). Dan yr Ogof Cave Advisory Committee. February 2008. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 August 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
  6. ^ Little, W.H.; Coase, Alan; Graham, Colin (May 1966). "Belfry Bulletin No 219, May 1966". Bristol Exploration Club. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
  7. ^ Farr, Martyn (1999). Dan yr Ogof: The Jewel of Welsh Caves. Gomer Press. p. 50. ISBN 1-85902-645-1.
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