002 Cueva del Coverón
Ozana VN54319378 Alt. 300m Length 3230m

Updated 19th February 1999

A complicated cave of great variety where the entrance leads to large chamber. The first sloping exit on the right provides access to a long series of phreatic domes. The apparent end of Tree Gallery is bypassed by a squeeze at roof level. Further squeezes lead to a continuation of the domes, a division of the ways and two chokes.

Just back from the junction a rift descends to a three ways junction, one passage containing a long pool. At the far end of the entrance chamber a rift on a rock slope provides entry to Nuts Passage, a series of tubes and phreatic chambers.

The main way on is down through a squeeze on the left of the entrance chamber. Large phreatic chambers soon close down to the right and straight ahead, while to the left a 5m climb leads to the head of a 20m pitch. At the base of the pitch is the complicated Mini Maze, the route on being a tight squeeze to walking passage which runs to the top of a 17m pitch. This drops straight into the vadose section of the cave. Upstream leads to a 4m climb and drop down over a barrier. The next obstacle is a 16m high climb over greasy calcite where, near the top, pitons are useful. A 12m pitch back to the stream follows immediately. The passage then continues for 200m to a tortuous route in rotten rock until it becomes too tight.

Downstream the cave passes the odd obstacle in a mainly narrow streamway to end after a couple of hundred metres at a calcite choke.

Several flints were found by C.A.E.A.P. in 1989 in the rock shelters around the entrance, and fragments of human skull on the entrance slope.

The cave has been extended by the AECL, adding about 730m to the length.

References: Fernández Gutiérrez et al, 1966; anon., 1975b (logbook); Kendal Caving Club and Manchester University Speleological Society, 1975 (survey and photo); anon., 1975a; Manchester University Speleological Society, 1982 (survey); Mills L D J, 1981; Mills L D J and Waltham A C, 1981 (survey); Corrin J S and Smith P, 1981; material in file; anon., 1988 (logbook); Corrin J, 1994b (survey); García José León, 1997 (survey); Corrin Juan, 1997c
Entrance picture :
Underground picture(s):
Detailed Survey :
Line Survey: coordinates taken from paper survey
On area survey :
Survex file :