Ogof Draenen facts for kids

Ogof Draenen (which means Hawthorn Cave in Welsh) is a huge underground cave system in Wales. It is the longest cave in Wales and the second longest in Great Britain. This amazing cave is about 66 kilometers (41 miles) long, but explorers are still finding new passages! It is located north of Blaenavon.

Discovering Ogof Draenen

For many years, Ogof Draenen was just a small opening on a steep hillside. People knew it was there, but they couldn't get very far inside. In October 1994, after several years of hard work and digging, explorers finally broke through! They found a massive network of passages. After this breakthrough, the cave was explored very quickly. It soon became known as the longest cave in Wales.

Exploring the Cave

Ogof Draenen is famous for its beautiful cave formations, called speleothems. These can be sparkling crystals, stalactites, and stalagmites. The cave also has some incredibly large passages. One part, known as the War of the Worlds section, is thought to be the second largest cave passage in all of Britain! Because of its huge size and sometimes tricky paths, exploring Ogof Draenen can be a real challenge. Even very experienced cavers find it difficult.

Managing the Cave

The Pwll Du Cave Management Group helps to look after Ogof Draenen. They make sure the cave is managed properly and that cavers can explore it safely.