Holy Boy's Cave facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Boy's Cave |
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Holy Boy's Cave is a cool cave found in Gibraltar, which is a British territory. It's on the eastern side of the famous Rock of Gibraltar, close to another cave called Cave S.
Contents
Discovering Holy Boy's Cave
The Rock of Gibraltar looks the way it does because of nature. But it's also thanks to the Royal Engineers. These engineers were like super builders! They dug tunnels and made climbing surfaces smoother. Sometimes, while they were working, they would find new caves. Holy Boy's Cave was one of these amazing discoveries.
How the Cave Was Found
The History of the Royal Sappers and Miners tells us about the cave. It was found in 1711 by some miners. They were working on the back of the Rock when they found it.
They cleared away plants covering its entrance. This revealed a small opening. It led into a large cave with many rooms and smaller grottoes.
Exploring Inside the Cave
Getting into some parts of the cave was tricky. You had to crawl through narrow, winding passages. The ceilings of the cave looked like they were held up by many pillars. These pillars were formed over ages by dripping water. They are called stalactites.
On the cave floors, you could see other formations. These are called stalagmites. Some were thin like needles. Others were big and lumpy. They grew from delicate, frosty cushions. If you touched these cushions, they would instantly turn into water.
The Main Hall and Its Secrets
At the very end of the cave was a large hall. It had two long sections. The floor was covered in a deep layer of earth. No plants or grass grew there. It was too dark and cold for them.
The only living things seemed to be bats. Some bats flew around slowly. Others were just resting. The cave was a place where things slowly turned to stone. This process created beautiful columns and spires. Some parts looked like fluffy snow. Others were like crisp frost. Some even looked like clear crystal.
The cave was rich, beautiful, and sparkling. It was a wonder for anyone who explored it. But it wasn't a good place for people to live.
The Goat-Herd's Story
Years later, a Spanish goat-herd lived in this cave. He reached his lonely home by following dangerous paths. These were the same paths his goats used. He might have lived there forever. But he was eventually asked to leave the cave.
