Colin Pryor remembers back to some of the great places he has seen underground, and chooses one that really stands out Ogof Draenen
When I sat down to write this I realised just how lucky I am. I have so many good memories of great caving trips that I was spoilt for choice. Would I choose Swildons Hole or Longwood Swallet on Mendip, James Hall or Titan in Derbyshire, Meregill or the vast caverns of Easegill?? Eventually I settled on Ogof Draenen in the beautiful hills of South Wales.
I was first introduced to Ogof Draenen in December 1995, when the cave had only been open for 11 months. I was lucky to be in the company of two of the diggers who had made the breakthrough and their enthusiasm for the place was amazing.
I can clearly remember kitting up as an evil wind swept the lonely pub car park, I was excited having followed the remarkable progress of the cave’s discovery through the pages of Descent. Over 15 kilometres of passage had been found in the first month alone! Soon I was crawling through the narrow confines of the entrance series wondering where the big tunnels were that I’d read about. I wasn’t to be disappointed.
Once through the entrance series the cave takes on massive proportions, particularly in the Megadrive and Arms Park areas. There is an enormous amount of pretties scattered throughout the cave, in particular the beautifully decorated Gilwern Passage is well worth a visit. In addition, Ogof Draenen also has the distinction of having the longest continuous streamway in the UK at 2.3 kilometres and a trip to Rifleman’s Chamber at the bottom end of the streamway and back can be very arduous.
My many memories of Ogof Draenen include sustaining concussion on a trip to Raiders Passage and hypothermia on the way back from a digging trip to Rifleman’s Chamber (after the cave flooded), being only the fifth person to view some of the finest formations I’ve ever seen and ‘finding’ and being the first person into a section of passageway off of Padlock Passage.
If you’ve never been, go and enjoy the pleasures of Ogof Draenen. You won’t regret it.
When I sat down to write this I realised just how lucky I am. I have so many good memories of great caving trips that I was spoilt for choice. Would I choose Swildons Hole or Longwood Swallet on Mendip, James Hall or Titan in Derbyshire, Meregill or the vast caverns of Easegill?? Eventually I settled on Ogof Draenen in the beautiful hills of South Wales.
I was first introduced to Ogof Draenen in December 1995, when the cave had only been open for 11 months. I was lucky to be in the company of two of the diggers who had made the breakthrough and their enthusiasm for the place was amazing.
I can clearly remember kitting up as an evil wind swept the lonely pub car park, I was excited having followed the remarkable progress of the cave’s discovery through the pages of Descent. Over 15 kilometres of passage had been found in the first month alone! Soon I was crawling through the narrow confines of the entrance series wondering where the big tunnels were that I’d read about. I wasn’t to be disappointed.
Once through the entrance series the cave takes on massive proportions, particularly in the Megadrive and Arms Park areas. There is an enormous amount of pretties scattered throughout the cave, in particular the beautifully decorated Gilwern Passage is well worth a visit. In addition, Ogof Draenen also has the distinction of having the longest continuous streamway in the UK at 2.3 kilometres and a trip to Rifleman’s Chamber at the bottom end of the streamway and back can be very arduous.
My many memories of Ogof Draenen include sustaining concussion on a trip to Raiders Passage and hypothermia on the way back from a digging trip to Rifleman’s Chamber (after the cave flooded), being only the fifth person to view some of the finest formations I’ve ever seen and ‘finding’ and being the first person into a section of passageway off of Padlock Passage.
If you’ve never been, go and enjoy the pleasures of Ogof Draenen. You won’t regret it.
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