A rather dry trip to Little Neath River Cave

The original plan was a trip into Porth Yr Ogof to make the most of the current warm dry spell, but over breakfast we decided on a change of venue and a trip into Little Neath River Cave. We arrived at the entrance to find very little water flowing in and with the sun out the water was pleasantly warm. A standard route in was followed down to look at Mud Hall and Sump One before we approached the Canal. Water here was much lower than normal, and we found it difficult to float very far, which made for an awkward crawl. We headed down to Sump 2 which did not look very enticing with crusts floating on top. Heading out we followed Canal Bypass and too a detour into North East Inlet Series. We followed a lead that had been missed on our previous trip into some nice passage, where we thought we had completed this section. Referring to the survey when we got back showed there is still plenty to have a go at here (after a very low crawl..) The way out was completed following all the low wet crawls, where we met my mate the rather large brown trout again.

Lucy Collins - Approach to Bouncing Boulder Hall

Lucy Collins - Lower Main Streamway

Mike Bonner - Lower Main Streamway

Mike Bonner - Lower Main Streamway

Lucy Collins - North East Inlet Series

The water was pleasantly warm, but we really needed more of it...

Present: Mike Bonner, Lucy Collins and Brendan Marris

A Cave Of Old World Charm…..Well Except For The Leeches!

Early on in my caving career I discovered a love of water. So when I asked for a special birthday trip, I learned my lesson from last year when I asked for a ‘memorable’ day and found myself on the beginning of terrifying Midnight Traverses in OFD, and instead requested a trip to Little Neath River Cave.

When we reached the small entrance next to the flowing river I enthusiastically jumped in the hole first. However what they neglected to mention to me, was the stream in the entrance passage was riddled with leeches, which is a very unpleasant discovery when you are flat out crawling and your nose is a few inches from the water! Once through the sprawling entrance stream we popped up into Mud Chamber for a few photos before entering The Canal which had a few interesting ducks. We then continued to follow the streamway to sump 2 before retracing our steps. To escape the water for a while we headed down into the 3D Maze which involved a back bending drop down between some boulders which was significantly easier on the way down than it was coming back up! Being the best decorated section of the cave with a crystal river and many other formations, we stopped for a few more pictures in the old world series before realising our call out time was fast approaching. We made a swift exit via the canal by-pass and we sent Brendan up the entrance stream first this time as leech bait!

Little Neath was an excellent cave which I would love to finish off at some point in the future However I admit that scraping about 100 leeches off myself put a slight dampener on my excitement!

Chloe admiring formations in the Old World Series

Chloe in Crystal River Passage

A Stunning Shot By Mr M of Chloe in The Lower Main Stream Way

Jess and Chloe in Mud Hall

Trip Report Chloe Burney

Present: Chloe Burney, Jess Harding, Mark Burkey and Brendan Marris

Return to Little Neath River Cave

With a warm sunny weekend in prospect we decided to take the opportunity for Loz to pay a return visit to Little Neath River Cave, to see if she would appreciate it a bit more after a year of caving. Following a Luigi breakfast we headed to the Nedd Fechan to find the river very low indeed. A quick trip to the farm house and then we changed and headed into the cave, this time Loz taking it in her stride. We took the standard route into the cave and headed down to sump 2 before an about turn and time to explore some of the bits that normally get missed. We first headed up into the Genesis Gallery and entered the 3D maze. We found plenty of cairns to mark the key junctions and soon found ourselves staring down an impossible looking slot. Mark tried first and found it too tight, coming out to let Loz have a crack. Following some encouragement she was through and indicated that there was substantial passage below. Mark tried again and this time facing the other way and after some painful contortion made it through. I tried to follow, but had problem flexing my back enough to make it through. Mark and Lox explored this area to Gooseberry Pot in the Old World Series before returning and the three of us then completed the rest of the Genesis Gallery. Our route out was via the Canal Bypass where we diverted off to spend some time exploring the passages of the North East Inlet Series. We were soon back in the Canal Bypass and made our way to the streamway. We took the advantage of the very warm water to follow the passage out at stream level all the way out the cave. Some low ducks were passed and an encounter by Brendan with a giant fish provided the entertainment of the day.

Present: Mark Burkey, Loz Appleby and Brendan Marris

Five cavers - Four caves - One day

The day started with a very brief rendez-vous in Asda cafe before heading to Ystradfellte and the caves. Some substantial repairs to the road allowed us to park the cars down at the bridge. We sent Wal off to the farm to pay the trespass fees, changed and made our way to our first cave..

Cave 1 Bridge Cave
Our first cave of the day was Bridge Cave, with a quick trip down to the sump and then back out again.

Martin in the Entrance Series - Bridge Cave

Some more photos of Bridge Cave Here

Cave 2 White Lady Cave
We headed down the Nedd Fechan past Cwm Pwll Y Rhyd and down to White Lady cave, it's large arched entrance enticing us in. The water was deeper than I remembered and caused much upset to Wal who as we all know doesn't like the wet stuff. A quick sploosh down to the sump and then a slow return taking photos followed.

Martin and Mel in the main passage - White Lady Cave

Martin and Wal near the entrance - White Lady Cave

Cave 3 Town Drain Cave
A hop skip and jump from the entrance to White Lady was Town Drain, and one by one we entered this linear and impressively scalloped cave. A dash to the end was followed by half an hour of photos taken in the most impressive section of passage near the entrance.

Martin and Andy near the entrance - Town Drain Cave

Martin near the entrance - Town Drain Cave

Cave 4 Little Neath River Cave.
Having ticked off the lesser caves of the valley we headed up to the true target of the day - Little Neath. Low water and warm weather ensured that journey into the cave was not too cold or off-putting. We headed downstream to look at the other side of the Bridge Cave sump before sticking our heads into the canal. Wal was urged to commit himself to the water, but after much coaxing he would not budge. It took Martin heading off down the canal in front to get Wal to follow. After our swim a short detour to Bouncing Boulder Hall was made before the return via the Canal bypass was made. We were all out for four o'clock and in the New Inn at Ystradfellte supping pints in the beer garden by five.

Some Little Neath River cave photos from previous trips here

Present: Brendan Marris, Steve Wallis, Mel Wakeman, Andy Grimes and Martin Saunders.

Little Neath River Cave - Three Rescued From A Watery Fate

We take our job very seriously in the BRO. When word came to us of three Australians lost in the vicinity of Little Neath River Cave, the team of Brendan, Keith, Rachel and myself were quickly on the scene. Little Neath River Cave, an unpleasant looking hole in the river bank with a fine collection of large spiders and a significant amount of river pouring into it. The entrance to LNRC is loads of fun, mostly flat out crawling in the river, but also featuring a constricted duck which is so narrow we had to take our helmets off, and involves being neck deep in the river. That was followed by a rather nice waterfall to slide down, and then a long section of passage with a slippery flat floor along which it was easier to let the water push you, rather than trying to walk. Shortly after this we encountered the first of the missing Australians, happily still intact, and shortly afterwards we located the other two, battered and dented but otherwise unharmed.A little further along we stopped in a shallow part of the stream where we spotted three cave fish! They seemed quite unafraid of having visitors, one even letting Rachel pick it up. Alternatively, Brendan and Keith’s new lights may have been so bright that the fish were unable to see anything at all (and were possibly also lightly grilled).
We continued into the cave and visited the other end of the sump from Bridge Cave before the charming crawl through the canal, a couple of hundred metres of hands and knees crawl in water with just headroom between the water’s surface and the roof. From there we continued down the stream passage through some impressive caverns to sump two, and then returned to check out Genesis Gallery, a pretty area with some nice formations, particularly a set of well decorated avens.On the way back we opted for dry crawling rather than wet, so took the Canal Bypass past some more nice formations and up another pretty streamway. After rejoining the stream from the entrance we retrieved the three missing Aussies and made our way back out. Rachel got a surprise on the way as one of the Aussies escaped from Brendan, but she quickly regathered it as is floated into her hand. If possible, the duck was even more fun on the way back! After exiting, we wandered upstream to where a group were camping on the river bank to return their missing property. They seemed very impressed with the speed and efficiency of the Beer Rescue Organisation and vowed to call on us again if they lost a pack of Fosters again! Keith took video at various points, and has produced this classic memento of the trip:

Read Richard Dearden's original report on the Sterling Adventures Blog

Present: Keith Edwards, Rachel Dearden, Richard Dearden and Brendan Marris

Little Neath River Cave, Upper Nedd Valley, South Wales

This was not going to be a good day for me. First I got lost on the way to the cave, then got the car stuck turning it around, then to be helped by about 6 walkers. Finally on arriving at the farm to pay the trespass fee was attacked by a small snappy ankle biting dog.
Water levels were low so we went in via the Canal and covered the main passage to sump two. We had a look at the Genesis Gallery on the way out, will have to do more of this on a later trip. The exit was via the Canal Bypass.

Mel and Andy at the start of Canal Bypass.

The Team: AnGr, BrMa & MeWa

Caves of the River Neath Valley, Breconshire

Little Neath River Cave 
A trip on a very warm day through the canal to the second sump and returning via the canal bypass. The warmth of the water entering the cave filled the passages with fog, somewhat spoiling the splendour of some of the larger river passage. 

Chris viewing the formations in Canal Bypass.

Cwm Pwll y Rhyd 
A trip down the valley to the lesser caves started with a short foray into Cwm Pwll y Rhyd, but the smell of decaying matter soon forced our retreat. 


White Lady 
A short trip in one entrance and out the other, some nice limestone in such a short section of cave 


Town Drain 
A quick trip to the end and back in this very linear cave. some impressive scalloped limestone passage in the first 100m or so. Will be back with the camera. 


See more little Neath photos here


Present: BMa & CWe