South Wales Caves

Agen Allwedd Description

Agen Allwedd is located on the old Llangattock tramroad (map) about 1700m west of the Chelsea Speleological Society cottage - Whitewalls. The original very tight entrance to the cave is no longer used, instead the gated Ogof Gam entrance - see Cambrian Caving Council for access is used. The cave system is one of the longest in the country with over 32km of passages and as such offers a number of classic caving trips. Without giving a full description of the cave, there are several notable standard routes that can be undertaken in the cave. A trip through the first boulder choke into Barons Chamber and then down the mile long main passage with its impressive dried mud floor to the Music Room offers a gentle introduction to this cave. For the more adventurous the Grand Circle following the main streamway through the second, third and fourth boulder chokes to the main sump and then returning via the long and unpleasant Southern Stream Passage is one of South Wales classic trips. The Inner and Outer Circle routes accessed via the Turkey Streamway offer arguably the more interesting trips in the cave, with pristine crystal covered passage walls in Selenite Needle Passage, the massive Dome of St Pauls and the very interesting Swiss Village Mud formations. In recent years an attempt to forge a link with the neighbouring Ogof Daren Cilau has resulted in the discovery of some of the most impressive formations in the UK in Iles Inlet, accessed via Southern Stream Passage and the Priory Road.