L:29800
V:232

Ogof y Darren Cilau, Ogof y Darren, Vic's Dig, Ogof Darren Cilau, Ogof Darren Ciliau, Ogof Daren Cilau, Daren Cilau, Rock of Refuge


NGR: SO 20521 15301
399 m.asl

Powys , Northern Outcrop - East (Morlais to Abergavenny)
map using leaflet map:
Cave
Access There is a very small entrance at ground level in a disused quarry behind the lime kiln.
Description A very difficult and arduous cave with a long, constricted entrance leading to extensive passages beyond. The furthest reaches of the cave reach the terminal sump which has been dived for 600m to Elm Hole in the Clydach Gorge.
History J. Ellwood, 1818. Explored by Vic Howells, BNS, 1957. Extended CSS/SMCC, 1964 & 1984, CDG in 1985-87,'Rock Steady Crew'...
Hydrology
Conservation SSSI: 0080 Mynydd Llangatwg (Mixed) GCR: 554 Biological records
Gallery

Martin Laverty
2021
Note stal on cliff face

Brendan Marris
2008

Julian Todd
2006
Survey
BNS 1957 CSS Records (19), 1992
References
SWCC Newsletter 27, 3-7, 1959. History of discovery and description
SWCC Newsletter 28, 10, 1959. Location
British Caver 32, 1-2, 1959
Journal Spel. Soc. BNS, 1, 3-5, 1959. Survey, Discovery, Exploration
SMCC Journal 3 (5), 21-24, 1963. Discoveries.
CaC 29, pp.18-22, 1985, Clive Gardener, Beyond the further reaches of Daren Cilau
CDG nl.77, 1985
CaC 32, pp.20-21, 1986, Clive Westlake, Photographing the Time Machine
CDG nl.78, 1986
CaC 33, pp.20-26, 1986, Clive Gardener, Cascading Water and Echoes of David Bowie from the Depths of Daren Cilau...
CaC 36, pp.33-34, 1987, Mark Lumley, Nine days of Hard Rock hospitality
Cave Science 15(2) pp.83-84, 1988, Andy Kendall, Aragonite in Daren Cilau
CDG nl.91, 1989
CDG nl.97, 1990
Caves of South Wales, Stratford, T., 1995
A Caver's View of the Clydach River (Cwmbran Caving Club, 1986), Schuurmans, T.
CDG nl.113, 1994
GSS nl Oct 1994, pp.12-14, Mike Green, Busman's Re-opened (or 'canned')
CDG nl.115, 1995
CDG nl.121, 1996
CDG nl.124, 1997
Martyn Farr, Darkworld (1997)
Selected Caves of Britain and Ireland, 1997
CDG nl.127, 1998
CDG nl.139, 2001
CDG nl.144, 2002
CDG nl.150, 2004
Descent 205, p.12, Adrian Fawcett; Mark Lumley, Hopping with the Frog
Descent 207, pp.12-13, Mark Lumley, Frog Street hops up
Descent 208, p.19, Martyn Farr, New dig in Daren
Descent 214, p.11, Hopping Mad (again)
Chelsea SS nl.51 (6), 2009, pp.70-71, Paul Tarrant, Daren Cilau, that's a terrible place! [1984 breakthrough trip]
Chelsea SS nl.58 (10), 2016, pp.64-65, Adrian Fawcett, Digging Projects in Daren Cilau
Chelsea SS nl.59 (7), 2017, p.48, Adrian Fawcett, Bypassing Eastern Flyover Choke
Descent 273, p.12, Kieran Ryan, Flooding at Hard Rock
ChelseaSS nl.65(7-9),pp.74-75, 2023, Alex Randall, Trip to Spaderunner, the end of Daren Cilau
Brendan Marris Caves of South Wales
Cambrian Cave Registry entry 821
© Cambrian Caving Council ⓗ