Post by jonsdigs on Apr 9, 2007 19:14:43 GMT -5
We love... Dan-yr-Ogof Caves
Apr 9 2007
Robin Turner, Western Mail (Wales)
THE multi-award winning Dan-yr-Ogof Caves in the Upper Swansea Valley give visitors a chance to walk where their ancestors walked hundreds of millions of years ago.
In a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, Dan-yr-Ogof was named as the greatest natural wonder in Britain.
With water dripping from ancient stalactites which were around in the Stone Age, startling cave and rock formations and streams foaming and roaring through narrow passageways the cave system offers a unique and exhilarating visit.
Known officially as The National Showcaves of Wales they offer a unique insight into the geology and natural history of the Brecon Beacons National Park.
There are three spectacular caves in the complex, Dan-yr-Ogof Cave, Cathedral Cave and the Bone Cave where 42 human skeletons have been found.
The site is also host to a range of other attractions including, the Dinosaur Park (fibre-glass models some bigger than a house), a replica Iron Age farm, a shire horse centre, a Victorian farm and a caravan and tent park for longer stays.
Dan-yr-Ogof is a 15km long cave system, one of the most extensive in Western Europe.
The cave was first explored by two brothers in 1912, Tommy and Jeff Morgan, using candles and primitive equipment including canoes to traverse the many sunken waterways. Completely unsure of what they would discover down in the darkness, they even armed themselves with a revolver.
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 known as "The Squeeze".
The Squeeze was eventually passed in 1963 by Eileen Davies, a member of Swansea University Caving Club.
Exploration has been steadily continued by later cavers who have explored the cave network to its present 15km length.
Some of this length was reached through cave diving, a sport entirely for the non-faint hearted.
One of the underground underwater explorers was Martyn Farr, who wrote a book about the cave system in which he claims it will eventually be extended to at least 150km.
Article
Apr 9 2007
Robin Turner, Western Mail (Wales)
THE multi-award winning Dan-yr-Ogof Caves in the Upper Swansea Valley give visitors a chance to walk where their ancestors walked hundreds of millions of years ago.
In a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, Dan-yr-Ogof was named as the greatest natural wonder in Britain.
With water dripping from ancient stalactites which were around in the Stone Age, startling cave and rock formations and streams foaming and roaring through narrow passageways the cave system offers a unique and exhilarating visit.
Known officially as The National Showcaves of Wales they offer a unique insight into the geology and natural history of the Brecon Beacons National Park.
There are three spectacular caves in the complex, Dan-yr-Ogof Cave, Cathedral Cave and the Bone Cave where 42 human skeletons have been found.
The site is also host to a range of other attractions including, the Dinosaur Park (fibre-glass models some bigger than a house), a replica Iron Age farm, a shire horse centre, a Victorian farm and a caravan and tent park for longer stays.
Dan-yr-Ogof is a 15km long cave system, one of the most extensive in Western Europe.
The cave was first explored by two brothers in 1912, Tommy and Jeff Morgan, using candles and primitive equipment including canoes to traverse the many sunken waterways. Completely unsure of what they would discover down in the darkness, they even armed themselves with a revolver.
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 known as "The Squeeze".
The Squeeze was eventually passed in 1963 by Eileen Davies, a member of Swansea University Caving Club.
Exploration has been steadily continued by later cavers who have explored the cave network to its present 15km length.
Some of this length was reached through cave diving, a sport entirely for the non-faint hearted.
One of the underground underwater explorers was Martyn Farr, who wrote a book about the cave system in which he claims it will eventually be extended to at least 150km.
Article
