South Wales Caves

Craig Y Nos Quarry Cave Description

Craig Y Nos Quarry Cave is located in a disused quarry opposite the Craig Y Nos Castle and Country Park (map) The cave consists of a series of passages and crawls with no climbs, formations or significant streamway, and is often used to introduce beginners to caving. Opposite the layby near the Pentre Riding Stables a gate leads to a footpath that takes you up a disused tramroad to the abandoned quarries. Following the footpath up the shoulder between the first two quarries brings you onto a ledge that leads to the small entrance to the cave. A hands and knees crawl for a few metres becomes progressively taller until at a T junction you are in a walking passage. To the right leads to further crawls, that eventually get too small or choke. At the T junction the main way is to the left following the descending passage. This starts off quite tall and rift like, gradually decreasing in height until a crawl on the left and a bedding plane are passed after about 50m. Past the crawl the passage splits into two sandy crawls that choke. Following the crawl on the left, the passage gradually increases in size until a more roomy passage at a three way junction is met. Above this junction you can make a short climb up into an aven that soon chokes. To the right leads to the bedding plane and straight on leads to a crawl that becomes larger as you progress and continues to descend. Choked inlets with tree roots are found on the left of the passage, water enters from a small tube on the right of the passage, while ahead the passage descends down a gravel covered floor until the passage eventually chokes. Before the passage chokes a small passage is found on the right which can be followed until it regains the main passages at a junction below the aven.