Ogof Nant Rhin

↓ Further information

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Ogof Nant Rhin in common with the other caves in the Clydach Gorge is quite small, but provides a varied and interesting trip.
Length 346m
Altitude 250m
Grid SO 21040 12420
The cave was discovered in 1991 by Toby Stewart and Mike Green on a walk in the Clydach Gorge. A cold draught eminating from some boulders revealed the location of the cave and after some frantic digging a small tight tube with a stream emerging from it was found. This was enlarged over a period of weeks to eventually enter the Nitty Gritty Mississippi streamway. Some time later a second entrance was dug to give access to more normal size people. The cave is located in the side of the North side of the Clydach Gorge just below and a little downstream of a large layby on the heads of the Valleys Road. A small stream emerges from the low scaffolded entrance which is located at the bottom of a steep unstable scree slope that leads down to the river from the layby. Debris from this steep bank can block or restrict access to this entrance from time to time.
Clydach Gorge Google map showing the location of Ogof Nant Rhin and other caves in the area. No known access restrictions. The entrance to Ogof Nant Rhin is a scaffolded passage below a large scree slope that was engineered to provide a bypass to the very tight original entrance. Please take care going through the scaffolded section as this has collapsed in the past. Beyond the dug entrance a small stream is met with a tight descending tube on the right that was the original route into the cave. The streamway is a hands and knees crawl - the Nitty Gritty Mississippi that an be followed for some distance. In places there is some very pronounced phreatic shelves that force a flat out crawl in the stream. The passage becomes progressively taller allowing stooping and walking, but care must be taken as there are numerous straws and formations in the passage roof. A low flat out crawl beneath an inlet called the Golden Showers is passed. Once through this the passage increases to about 5m high with more formations found in the passage. At a right hand bend in the passage a climb up allows you to enter a tight rifty passage with lots of shelving. This leads for some distance via a tight squeeze to end in the Aven D'Oznog. This aven is the bottom of the third pitch of Ogof Pont Gam.
Beyond this junction a flowstone formation - Douggy the Crab is passed and then a small chamber is met with a small waterfall that can be climbed and this leads to a fork in the passage, to the right is a short passage ending in a chamber with some pretty old stall formations - The Garden of Delights. The way on to the left of the fork leads to the PF formations, an area of fine calcite flows and curtains filling the top section of the passage. Beyond these formations is a low 1m wide rock bridge in the stream - the Empire Bridge. The passage can be followed some distance from here passing several avens including Distant Voices Aven, which gave the first clue to the proximity to the surface. In the bottom of Shaven Aven, the last of these avens a tight crawl leads into a small section of passage that end in digs. The areas of digs having names such as Kerplunk and the Jaws of Death lead one to think they are better left alone. No tackle is required unless the cave is being entered from Ogof Pont Gam. Cambrian Cave Registry for Ogof Nant Rhin
Survey of Ogof Nant Rhin and Ogof Pont Gam in Croydon Caving Club Journal - Pelobates 86
UK Caving Wiki entry for Ogof Nant Rhin
Descent 111 Article p22-23 As Luck Would Have It | Toby Stewart
Caves of South Wales | Tim Stratford | ISBN: 1-871890-03-9 | Published by Cordee
The Caves of Clydach | Tony Oldham
An Exploration Journal of Llangattwg Mountain | Chelsea Spelaeological Society Records V19 - 1992
The dug entrance has collapsed in the past, please take care when passing through this first section. The digs at the very end of the cave are dangerous. 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.