Deer Cave, a small cave on Carn-y-Goetre, was discovered by Croydon Caving Club in 1993. This report by Adrian Paniwnyk presents a survey of Deer Cave with accompanying notes on the area.
Notes on Deer Cave and other caves in the area
The grid reference for Deer Cave was fixed by conducting a surface survey from the trig-point on Gwaun Cefn-y-Garreg.
Due to the light grey colouration of the limestone in Deer Cave, it is probably developed in the Llandyfan limestone beds which overlie the Dowlais limestone formation unconformably in this area.
Three other caves have been located in the nearby vacinity:
- Solstice Cave - discovered at the same time as Deer Cave. Entrance drops into a chamber with two passages leading off. Both choke after a few meters with glacial infill. Approx length = 15m. NGR (based on surface survey from Deer Cave) = 9458 1410.
- Ogof Pioden - approx grid reference = 948 141.
- Another cave near Ogof Pioden, consisting of a network of small phreatic tubes. Dug by persons unknown in the past.
Probably the best way of finding these caves is to walk to the trig-point on Cefn-y-Garreg, locate the lonesome "speleo-tree" easily visible to the north of the trig-point, and then walk around in its general vicinity.
All four caves are remenants of a long abandoned phreatic system. All passages quickly choke with glacial infill.
A slight draught is noted in the western limb of Deer Cave. However, at this point the passage is very near the surface and is also trending towards where the Carn-y-Goetre ridge drops away. It is thus probably only a surface draught - how sad!
