South Wales Caves

Little Neath River Cave Description

Little Neath River Cave is located in the bank of the Afon Nedd Fechan and located 200m upstream of the bridge near Bridge Cave (map). Permission to visit the cave should be sought from Blaen Nedd Isaf farm where a £1 per head trespass fee is charged. The entrance is in the opposite side of the river and starts as a flat out crawl in water, this then becomes more hands and knees passing several right angle bends which leads to a duck after another right angle bend in the passage. Beyond the duck to the left is a route intro Blaen Nedd Isaf Passage, but the way on is to follow the water to the right. The passage then continues getting narrower until you reach the top of a cascade into a small chamber. The route on is to the left over a large flat boulder following which there is a choice of tight wet duck or a climb through boulders. A climb over a rockfall leads into Tributary Passage with its flat floor and fast flowing water. Following the passage until it becomes two low a dry oxbow can be followed on the right. Back in the stream calcite flowstone is seen on the left. A short distance later a second calcite flow is seen leading up to Canal Bypass Passage. Continuing to follow the streamway the passage becomes much lower before getting much larger as it enters Sand Chamber, the stream flows in the left side of the passage and to the right is a slope up to Mud Hall. Mud Hall is entered by climbing up the slope and continues as a large passage for a distance with several calcite flows in the floor and stalactites in the in the roof before it abruptly ends. Further on a large sand bank is found and this houses the rescue dump in case of entrapment due to flooding. Here a stream enters from the right issuing from the sump at the end of Bridge Cave. The water can be followed to the left into The Canal a 150m section of low wet passage that may sump in wet weather. At the end of The Canal a passage on the left leads to the other end of the Canal Bypass, while going downstream takes you through the large and impressive Junction Chamber, here it is possible to take an impressive view of the passage below by climbing up onto one of the several rock promontories. In the lower end of this passage you pass a climb up to the low passage that leads into the Genesis Gallery on the right. This passage starts as a low crawl over a cobble floor that then leads into the Genesis Gallery. The Genesis Gallery passes an area of large rectangular blocks on the right the way between is the entry to the 3D maze and then then into the Old World Series. Carrying along the left hand wall of the Genesis gallery leads to a series of avens where some fine calcite formations can be found. Back in the main passage, further downstream a climb up on the left leads to a passage with a fine dry crystal pool that then leads two windows high above the passage opposite the Genesis Gallery. Past this passage a route along the right hand wall following the stream takes you into Bouncing Boulder Hall. Following through the Hall, the maypole entrance to the High Level Series is seen before the height of the passage reduces as you approach a duck that can sump in wet weather. Before the duck a climb up into a roof tube can be made that makes a less pleasant bypass. The streamway continues as a walking and stooping passage, passing entry to UBSS Aven on the left, Cairn Passage and Exodus Crawl on the right and finally Gryn Fawr passage on the left before Sump 2 is reached. Beyond Sump 2 are two further sumps leading into the large and extensive New World Series, a playground and reward for divers only.
Retracing your steps back at Junction Chamber you have a choice of routes, back through the Canal or straight ahead and through the Canal Bypass. Canal Bypass starts high with a sandy floor and soon an impressive calcite formation is passed just around a corner. Continuing ahead a descent is made down a slippy slope past a calcite formation to lead you into a passage with a stream in. Once in this passage the route is to follow the main passage, ignoring the side passages. Just after a waterfall is passed on the left a series of passages are encountered on the right which lead into the North East Inlet Series. This is best joined from the inlet that leads from the main bypass passage to avoid damaging the gour pools, this takes you to the passages beyond, which are a mixture of wet and dry crawls. Back on the Canal Bypass route the passage drops in height to a hands and knees crawl that gradually increases to stooping height as you reach the gour pools at the top of the calcite flow that drops you back into the main passage just before Tributary Passage.
Warning:- The entrance to the cave is a tight wet crawl in the river bank and floods very quickly after rain.