Location Powys, Wales Access Safe Length 15,500 m Discovery 1912 | OS grid SN 83825 16021 Registry Cambrian Cave Registry Phone +44 1639 730284 | |
 | ||
Hazards Some parts avoided when on tour of caves Translation "Beneath the cave". The Morgan Brothers named the cave after their farm. (Welsh) Address Abercraf, Swansea SA9 1GJ, UK Similar Porth yr Ogof, Sgwd Henrhyd, Brecon Beacons, Black Mountain, Aberdulais Falls | ||
Dan yr ogof it s lush by ere
Dan yr Ogof ([ˈdan ər ˈoːɡɔv]), also known as the National Showcaves Centre for Wales, is a 17-kilometre (11 mi) long cave system in south Wales, 5 miles (8 km) north of Ystradgynlais and 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Brecon, in the Brecon Beacons National Park. It is the main feature of a show cave complex, which is claimed to be the largest in Europe and is one of the major tourist attractions in Wales. The first section of the cave system is open to the public, but the extensive cave system beyond is scheduled as a national nature reserve and is open only to bona fide cavers.
Contents
- Dan yr ogof it s lush by ere
- Dan yr ogof a video tour of the cave
- Exploration
- Filming location
- References
The bones of some 42 humans, as well as numerous animal bones, have been found in one of the nearby chambers of this cave system. In a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, Dan yr Ogof was named as the greatest natural wonder in Britain.
Dan yr ogof a video tour of the cave
Exploration
The cave was first explored in 1912 by three local brothers, Edwin, Tommy and Jeff Morgan, using candles and primitive equipment. Completely unsure of what they would discover, they armed themselves with a revolver. Edwin was the first to enter, as he was the smallest of the Morgan brothers. Initial expedition was halted at a large lake, which they later managed to cross by coracle. They eventually crossed three more lakes in the same manner, but were stopped by a tight crawl.
This squeeze, known as the Long Crawl, was first passed by Eileen Davies, a member of Swansea University Caving Club in 1963, although it is claimed that it was first passed by Peter Ogden of the same Club in the October before. The initials 'PO' were found by Eileen Davies at the pitch to Gerard Platten Hall. Peter Ogden had not descended the pitch due to a period of bad weather. Exploration has been steadily continued by later cavers who have extended the cave to its present 17-kilometre (11 mi) length. Some of this length was reached by cave diving. One of these explorers was Martyn Farr, who wrote a book about the system in which he claims that the system will eventually be extended to at least 150 km (93.2 mi).
Filming location
The cave was used as a filming location for the Doctor Who serial The Pirate Planet.