Ogof Fawr - So Fawr, So Good

We headed to Ogof Fawr to have a good explore of the cave, visit a couple of areas missed on previous trips and take some photos. After a breakfast in Luigis we headed out to Cwm Cadlan where we parked and then took the 1.4km walk to the cave. The first thing we found on arriving at the cave was Mark had two left gloves and so we made our way into the cave, Mark barehanded, which was pretty bad for Mark with all the sharp and loose rock. We systematically made our way through the cave taking photos and exploring all the side passages and oxbows as we went. This was quite tiring caving as there are long sections of stooping / crawling which was hard carrying camera gear. One area of interest was a side passage that led to the top of a climb down, which we had not visited before. The 4m climb was descended to enter a large muddy chamber where everything was covered with a film of mud from the regular flooding. We then made our way to the end of the cave and ferreted around the different levels and passages. Eventually bored of crawling and tired we made our way out taking a couple more photos as we went.

Mark Burkey in Ogof Fawr

Mark Burkey in Ogof Fawr

Mark Burkey in Ogof Fawr

Mark Burkey in Ogof Fawr

Mark Burkey in Ogof Fawr

Some photos and description of Ogof Fawr here

Present: Mark Burkey and Brendan Marris

Ogof Fawr & Some Familiar Faces

I had bumped into Carol and Graham a couple of weeks ago at SWCC and we agreed to meet up for a trip a couple of weeks later. On the Saturday I was tied up with a trip into DYO and they went off to look for Ogof Gofan in Pembrokeshire.
On Sunday we headed off for an early trip so we could all get back at a reasonable time. We parked up at Cwm Cadlan and headed across the moor to Ogof Fawr, where a large stream disappears into a very large shakehole. Since my last visit a new dry entrance has been dug, and we took advantage of the shorter dry route into the cave.

Carol in the lower main chamber on top of the collapsed boulders.

Once in the cave we headed down picking up the stream and heading into the Lower Main Chamber where we took a few photos before heading along the main passage. We stopped off at a set of formations that you have to traverse past as you head into the cave. 

Carol traversing past formations in the main passage.

Graham in the main passage.

Further into the cave we made a detour to photograph a pretty dried up crystal pool in one of the side passages. From here we progressed a little further, but our early departure meant we missed going to the bitter end of the cave.

A dried up crystal pool in a side passage off the main route.

Carol and Graham on their way out of the cave.

Once out of the cave we found that the hill was now covered in a thick mist and we headed back to the cars through the drizzle, taking a rather longer route than we did on the way to the cave due to the lack of visibility.

See more photos of Ogof Fawr here

Present: Brendan Marris, Carol Northall, Graham Coates

Ogof Fawr

Pete Hobson in Ogof Fawr.

Pete Hobson in Ogof Fawr.

See more Ogof Fawr photos here

The Team: KeEd & BrMa and Pete Hobson