Ogof Draenen | |
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Location | North of Blaenavon, Wales |
Length | 66 kilometres (41.0 mi) |
Cave survey | OUCC survey information |
Discovery | 1994 |
Access | Pwll Du Cave Management Group. |
Translation | Hawthorn Cave (Welsh) |
Ogof Draenen (Welsh for Hawthorn Cave) is, at 66 km (official figure; the true length of passage is still being revised upward, ith a rough modern approximation at it being 70km), the longest cave system in Wales and now probably the longest in Great Britain (with the record previously held by the Easegill System in Yorkshire).
The cave was known only as a small entrance on a steep hillside until several years of digging broke through into major passage development in October 1994. It was then explored at unprecedented speed to become the longest cave in Wales.
Draenen contains a variety of spectacular decorations and some huge passages (the War of the Worlds section is probably the second largest cave passage in Britain). Its large size and occasional complexity make the cave a challenge for even experienced cavers.
The cave is managed by the Pwll Du Cave Management Group.