Eglwys Faen 17/11/2007
Camera and setups by Tarquin, flash and some modelling by Peter Wilton-Jones, other modelling by Josie Wilton-Jones (and random cavers), edits and gallery effects by Tarquin.
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The Clydach Gorge, showing quarries, railways, and dramatic scenery. The village (and mountain) is Llanelly Hill, and not that you care, but I grew up at the left edge of it.
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The Shepherd, one of two rock pinnacles on Mynydd Llangatwg (aka Mynydd Llangattock; because for some reason, the word Mynydd - pronounced munith, meaning mountain - can be adopted into English, and Llan - which is unpronounceable in English - can also be adopted, but for some reason the name Gatwg [mutated form of Saint Catwg] - which is perfectly pronounceable in English - cannot be adopted without a stupid modification).
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In most places, cavers hate quarries. They quarry away the limestone, and the caves with it. Here we have to thank them, because it is the industrial revolution quarries that exposed the entrances to the caves.
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Table Mountain, at the edge of the Black Mountains.
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The dramatic Llangatwg Escarpment, mainly old cliffs, but partly newer quarries.
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Waterfall Entrance, the normal exit from Eglwys Faen.
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Three of the seven entrances, with Waterfall Entrance on the left, and Oval Entrance on the right. As well as the seven entrances that are navigable by humans, here is also a daylight entrance, a secondary entrance to an aven entrance, and a vocal connection to another entrance. Plus there is a too tight entrance that has an airflow connection.
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Main Entrance, at the top of the obvious zig-zag path.
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The entrance passage, typical large Welsh cave passage, that leaves you staggering blindly after stepping in from daylight. The name Eglwys Faen means stone church, presumably because it was once used as one.
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The large entrance Passage is strangely called Main Chamber, presumably because the blindness meant that they were unable to see that it was a passage and not a chamber.
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On a first proper caving trip. These boulders are nothing to us, but they are about the same size as a 6 year old. The helmet is a cycling helmet with a caving light retrofitted to it with gaffer tape. Properly equipped and all that.
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Peppered moth, many of which live here, along with the large, ugly spiders.
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Western Series, where we encountered a Lesser Horseshoe bat and a much less common Daubenton's Bat (only the second one I have ever seen, despite seeing many hundred Lesser Horseshoes).
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The crawl in Western Series.
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Heading into Connecting Crawl, the dig which gains the continuation of Main Chamber.
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The squeeze at the end.
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Inner Chamber, not as big as the Main Chamber, but reasonably sized. Unfortunately, it seems the connecting crawl is not enough to prevent idiots getting here, and the walls are covered in graffiti. There is historical graffiti in the cave from the 15 hundreds (16th century), but I don't particular care which parts are new, and which are old. They all look ugly, and really spoil a nice cave.
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Climbing up into The Warren.
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A typical small passage in The Warren.
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Crawling sized, but comfortable.
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The largest part of The Warren. Tall enough for a small human to stand.
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Warped perception. I promise you the camera is level.
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Admiring moths in Eastern Series. After a quick visit to the canal, and another Lesser Horseshoe, it was time to head out.
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Oval Entrance, just past Lesser Horseshoe #3.