Ogof Cnwc

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This cave was once known as Price's Old Dig, although Brian Price referred to it as Ogof Cnwc. It has more widely been referred to as Ogof Cnwc after 2002 when it was connected to Busman's Holiday in Ogof Daren Cilau. The cave provides an alternative and muddy means of access to the Busman's Holiday and Antler Passage area of Daren Cilau, whilst also providing the option of a through trip from Daren Cilau.
Length 120m to the connection with Daren Cilau
Altitude 410m
Grid SO 21063 14925
The first section of passage was originally clay filled and digging was started by Brian Price in 1950. The cave was dug in phases over the years, eventually with a monorail installed to take out spoil. In 1962 after many years of digging, a draughting but squalid boulder choke was encountered that marked the end of this phase of exploration. In 2002 following accurate surveying and radiolocation of the end of Busman's Holiday and Price's Dig, a connection was dug by Arthur Millet and members of Chelsea Speleological Society. This route has been further modified to remove a sump that was created by the original connection. The cave is located 500m to the South East of the Daren Cilau entrance, in the base a buttress of rock in a large quarry face, the cave is gated a few metres inside the 1m wide entrance.
Llangattock Google map showing the location of Ogof Cnwc and other caves in the area. Ogof Cnwc is gated and access is controlled by the Mynydd Llangatwg Cave Management / Advisory Committee A short crawl in a muddy passage leads to climb up through boulders to a chamber with a way on to the left and to the right. A log book is located in the small chamber, to be filled out by visiting parties. To the right the passage leads to an aven and an abandoned dig in a bedding plane. To the left a flat out crawl leads into the top of another small chamber, where a descent of the calcite flow leads to a comfortable sized rift passage. The rift passage is followed and quickly decreases in size as it reaches a right angle corner. From here the passage heads downhill to a muddy tube which is followed until a passage on the right is met. This then leads mainly as a hands and knees crawl to the top of a scaffolded shaft. At the bottom of the shaft is a sump, the original connection with Daren Cilau. Just above the water a dug out crawl bypasses the sump and leads to a walking sized passage. This passage then leads over boulders to a large chamber - Price's Prophecy near the end of Busman's Holiday in Ogof Daren Cilau No tackle is required in the cave.
The climbs down through the Busman's Holiday boulder choke and the climbs in Antler Passage on the link with Daren Cilau now have substantial chain ladders installed to make passage safer. Cambrian Cave Registry for Ogof Cnwc
Chelsea Spelaeological Society Survey of Ogof Cnwc including Busman's Holiday
Caves of South Wales (Price's Dig) | Tim Stratford | ISBN: 1-871890-03-9 | Published by Cordee
An Exploration Journal of Llangattwg Mountain | Chelsea Spelaeological Society Records V19 - 1992
Care should be taken going through the boulder choke, there are potentially loose boulders above the scaffolded shaft. The photographs and information of this page has been provided to help cavers planning trips. Caving can be a dangerous activity, if you are interested in exploring caves please join a caving club so you can enjoy a safe introduction to this sport. Local caving clubs are listed on the links page or you can visit the 'New To Caving' website for more options.
If you feel that any of the information is incorrect or should be updated please contact us.