"Information on caves should be freely available in order that future generations can build upon the knowledge of the past. This website therefore provides a vehicle for passing on this personal knowledge (before it's too late). It's been greatly enhanced by additional material freely supplied by those mentioned on page 29." - Cris Ebbs
Lower Cefn Cave on the River Elwy
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE Click your BACK button to return to this page
Tips on using the site:
1. Can't find the name of the cave you're looking for? Refer to the INDEX on Page 01; the cave may be listed under another name.
2. Some images (mainly surveys) will enlarge by clicking and these are clearly labelled
. To return to the page you left, click your browser's BACK button once.
3.
Location directions are in yellow
4.
Warnings are in orange
5. The website was initially based upon the book
"An Introduction to the Caves of north-east Wales" (2000) by Cris Ebbs (ISBN 0 9522242 1 6) which is no longer available. Most recent changes or additions to the site are in yellow near the bottom of this Homepage
6. Anglesey caves
(just a handful of uninspiring limestone caves) have their own page (page 10).
7. Llandudno caves
also have their own page (Page 11). All caves are very short, although many have archaeological importance.
Cave names:
Wherever possible, the first
documented name of a cave has been adopted. Subsequent names are stated
in the accompanying text. The exceptions are where several neighboring
caves have been listed together for simplicity, under group names such
as Bryn Alyn Caves 1-12, Brasgyll Caves 1-8 etc.
Grid references
(including GPS refs. which can be subject to interference) have been cross-checked for any major errors using StreetMap.co.uk.
Where possible, GPS refs. are accompanied by the margin of error as stated by the device at the time.
Most are within an accuracy of +/-15 feet.
Most grid references are now clickable links (to the location on StreetMap.com).
Plans or surveys
are shown with north pointing to top of page.......
except for original surveys of Poachers Cave, Gwaenysgor Cave and Ogof Pant-y-Wennol.
Only caves (formed by nature) are described on this website. Mines are man-made and are not discussed unless
providing a route to a cave that has no surface entrance
. A little mining information can be found on Cris Ebbs' sister website at:
http://www.cambrianmines.co.uk/flintshireleadmining
These pages provide a basic information resource on the caves of north Wales.
Detailed cave descriptions are not provided, but the aim is to provide
information that is as
accurate as possible. If any errors are spotted, do please let Cris know (cavecomment@hotmail.co.uk).
As the Internet now provides a wide variety of cave information, this site simply steers the curious in the right direction. The information is far from a complete account of North Wales caves, and can be a little out-of-date in places; the writer not now being a very active caver. Anyone wishing for further up-to-the-minute information is advised to contact one of the main caving clubs mentioned on Page 26: 'Clubs & Pubs'.
Comments,
suggestions, queries and additional information are welcomed at:
registrar@cambriancavingcouncil.org.uk
Here's hoping you find these pages helpful.
Now just select a page from the menu on the left.
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Copyright
All
uncredited images are by Cris Ebbs. Visitors are free to
use his photos or information from the site in any way they wish (if
not for profit) if this website is credited for each image used.
All other images remain the copyright of the photographers named and cannot be used in any way without their prior consent.
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Cave Rescue
In the event of an emergency......
-
Dial 999
-
Ask for Police
-
Then ask for Cave Rescue
(Do NOT phone the rescue team or its members direct).
Provide the Police at the very least, with an accurate location of the accident, details of any injuries, number of people involved, time of accident etc.
Full details of key information to provide are given here: http://www.northwalescro.org.uk/calling-out-cave-rescue/
North Wales Cave Rescue Team homepage
:
http://www.northwalescro.org.uk/
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Access to caves
Most
North Wales caves are on private land, hence it's always wise to
seek prior consent, and to respect fences and gates.
In the case of consent being refused, be prepared to go elsewhere.
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Cave Monitoring
Any such cases will then be brought to the attention of the relative organisations whose progress will be reported on this site.
Archaeological caves are particularly vulnerable to human activity, pollution or quarrying. We have already lost several important caves due to inaction. Please help prevent the loss of more.
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Notes:
Caves that cannot be located or have been quarried away are listed on Page 14: Lost and Non-caves
Click on any grid reference to view a (StreetMap.com) map of the location (Click the StreetMap zoom tool for more detail)
Some references for archaeological caves use the following abbreviations:
AW ............ Archaeology in Wales
NWCC ....... North Wales Caving Club
WPCST ..... William Pengelly Cave Studies Trust
SWCC ....... South Wales Caving Club
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Most recent changes, updates or additions
(minor amendments not listed)
May 2024: Added link to 2 part review of Gop Cave by [Ms] Andie Byrnes.
Dec 2022: Cris Ebbs is no longer with us to update this blog. RIP.
February 2022: Details of a new cave Ogof Clywedog Bach, reported first by the Craven Pothole Club.
November 2021: Amend NGRs for Gas (with new photo of blocked entrance) and Murphy's Pots; Ogofs Hen Ddyn, Dydd Byraf, Nadolig,Hesp Alyn; removed criticism of Grosvenor and Flintshire Museums from here.
October 2021: Amend NGR for Ogof Llyn Du; add Watts Cave on the Little Orme; noted improvement in condition of Pant-y-Wennol through removal of rubbish accumulated over half a century.
June 2020: Site content and link checking as part of move from Google Sites for editing and rehosting by Cambrian Caving Council. Many dead links have been removed, some changed, and a few added. Some, hopefully inconsequential, formatting changes may be noted, with a few sentences also moved around, but images which benefit from enlargement are, again, available. Cris Ebbs remains closely involved in content provision and updating.
February 2020: Gop Cave: Additional photos of lion tibia and human skull:
04-caves-d---k
December 2019: Dyserth Castle Caves (Including Nant-y-Fuach Rock Shelter) fully updated and photos added:
../04-caves-d---k
August 2019: Photos added of Cae Gwyn Cave entrance and passage (see under Ffynnon Bueno Cave):
../04-caves-d---k
May 2019: Addition of 'new' cave: Ogof Cerrig Uchel:
../07-caves-o
April 2019: Gop Cave and Cae Gwyn Cave: Photos added of bones held at Grosvenor Museum, Chester:
../04-caves-d---k
April 2019: Ty Newydd Caves 1-3 (Tremeirchion): Updated and photos added:
../09-caves-t---z
November 2018: 1959 sketch survey of Ceiriog Cave (Lower) redrawn and directions improved:
../03-caves-c
August 2018: Ogof Gwaun (5m long only) - Updated and photos added: ../07-caves-o
March 2018: Trevor Hall Cave - Updated, new survey and photos added: ../09-caves-t---z
Jan 2018: Archaeological cave conservation in North Wales - A (belated) way forward? A 4 page PDF download at very bottom of this page: ../13-archaeological-caves
Nov 2017:
William Boyd Dawkins &
the Victorian Science of Cave Hunting. Published in 2017: Notes and quotes from the book: ../13-archaeological-caves
The following caves have also been re-visited and their entries revised, photos added or been given more accurate (GPS) national grid references.....
Bedding
Plane Cave, Llandudno
Blodwen's
Fissure (see Lost & Non-caves)
Brasgyll
Caves
Castell
Mawr Caves, Anglesey
Cefn
Cave
Cefn
Cave, Old
Corkscrew
Cave, Llandudno
Dell Cave
Gop
Caves
Gwaenysgor
Cave
Kendrick's
Cave, Upper, Llandudno
North
Face Cave, Llandudno
Ogof
Arth, Llandudno
Ogof
Bys, Llandudno
Ogof
Colomendy
Ogof
Defaid, Llandudno
Ogof
Tudno, Llandudno
Plas
Heaton Cave
Skeleton
Cave, Llandudno
Snail
Cave Rock Shelter, Llandudno
Tan-yr-Ogof
Caves