South Wales Caves

Tunnel Cave Description

Tunnel Cave is located on the Black Mountain in the Swansea valley, with the lower section of the cave forming the Cathedral Cave which is part of the Dan Yr Ogof showcaves complex. Discovery of the cave was made through a small resurgence passage, that led to a boulder choke near the lower end of the cave. This was dug during 1953 and the break through into an impressive sized chamber was made on the day after the funeral of David Price and was named Davy Price's Hall in his honour. A tunnel was driven to allow this chamber to be opened up as part of the Dan Yr Ogof showcaves complex and is now open to view by the public. The cave beyond this chamber is predominantly a tall narrow rift with a reasonable gradient and progress is often made by traversing along ledges or in the tube in the roof of the passages. An fan and airlock are located at the end of Davey Price's Hall and passage through this locked door has to be with the company of a Dan Yr Ogof Warden, see the DYOCAC website for details. The end of the cave is a series of high chambers with impressive calcite slopes that lead to Cascade Aven, in 1963 a shaft was dug by the SWCC to intersect the top of this aven allowing passage from the top of the hill through the cave and to the showcave. The top of this shaft is locked and keys are held by SWCC (see Cambrian Caving Council for access). The route through the cave is described from this top entrance and through to the showcave.
Directly below the gated entrance a 12 m shaft breaks out into the side of Cascade Aven, a short traverse takes you out to a position where the final drop of 8m can be rigged from the in situ rawl bolts. You drop onto the top of a calcite slope, a rope handline is fixed down the right hand wall to allow a safe descent to the start of a very exposed traverse. At the top of this calcite slope a low passage leads to the complex Cascade Aven extensions. A awkward 10m ladder pitch is encountered at the end of the crawl into the Courtyard. Back at the calcite slope a rope traverse line is in situ (cows tails recommended) to take to to the far side of this deep drop. Ahead from here is the Oasis, but the way on is down another steeply descending calcite slope that loops back below the traverse, a hand line assists this descent through the top section before it curves round to form a chamber at the bottom. Part way down this slope on the right is entry to Balcony Passage which has a few short routes off that all close down. At the bottom of the slope in Cascade Aven Chamber, a crawl ahead leads for a short distance to a 6m climb down into a chamber followed by another short climb down into a following chamber. A short section of passage then leads to the climb down into 15 Foot Pot Chamber. A slightly awkward climb up from the chamber leads into a sandy passage that leads to Wiggly Stal Passage. Below the climb up is a squeeze through boulders to Marble Arch passage that later connects with the main route at Marble Arch. Ahead the route is high level following the roof tube and continues some distance to Saddle Corner. At this point you can stay high and bear round to the left to reach the junction with Cross Passage, the upper link to the eastern section of the cave. At Saddle Corner going low and to the right leads to the 35 Foot Pot Series and the large Waterfall Chamber. Continuing ahead past Cross Passage leads to Cross Joint Passage which disgorges water from the aven at the end of it. Several climbs in the passage ahead lead to The Junction with East Passage to the left and the main route through the cave continues ahead. The going becomes a little easier with one or two climbs needed to progress until ahead the airlock door to the showcave is found. Only open one of the double airlock doors at once and ensure that the main door is locked once the party has passed. Back at the Junction, East Passage is followed trending upwards to some crawls over calcite where the entry to Cross Passage can be found on the left, from this point East Passage descends to a junction. To the left the passage ascends towards Steeple Aven while ahead the passage descends towards Xmas grotto. At two locations in this passage there is a choice of higher and lower routes, but all routes take you to the low mud covered passage that leads to Xmas Grotto, here white calcite formations are encountered many with mud deposits from flooding. The passage is taped across here and ends just past the formations. Back at the junction the ascending passage can be followed to Steeple Aven Passage and then following the right passage at Fork Junction leads to a climb up into The Tube a steeply ascending phreatic tube. Beyond this is the impressive and draughty Steeple Aven which ends abruptly at a climb up into a small passage this tight and awkward passage leads to Switchback Passage and then via a series of climbs to the Final Chamber. Returning from Steeple Aven a passage can be followed on the right which leads back to the second passage at Fork Junction.