059 Cueva del Molino (Cueva del Agua) (Pozo de Guzmartín)
Enaso VN51619622 Alt. 165m Length 1968m Depth 12m

Updated 19th February 1999; 3rd January 2001

The sink for all of the water in the Vega branch of the depression. The cave provides an interesting wet trip.

An impressive entrance at the end of the stream bed leads to a large, rock-strewn chamber at the end of which the water is met. The remainder of the main line cave is sporting stream passage - a mixture of wading, clambering and swimming in large passage. At the cascades, a high rift passage leads off for 60m with calcite flowers on the floor. The large sump pool at the end of the main passage has been dived through to La Cuevona (248), the resurgence.

On the left of the first lake, 200m from the entrance, is a strongly draughting inlet which has been followed for some 600m until it becomes rather small. In 1991 this was extended by some 45m but is impassable. This lies under Cueva de Rascavieja (077) and is heading towards Torca del Mostajo (071). Just upstream of the sump on the right, are two calcite ramps with fine, coloured formations.

Just after the 3rd lake, on the left, is a 4m climb to a series of small passages, Snails Pace Passage, which rise some 20m above the stream, contains excellent formations and ends too tight or in chambers. The floor is covered in white snail shells, many calcited in, and the river can be heard through a hole in the floor.

At the end of the cave, the left hand ramp contains a puzzling low wall, on which a stalagmite has formed. (This, presumably, is the "prehistoric alter" referred to in the Plymouth accounts).

Ortiz in Algunos crustaceous y miriapodas cavernicolas de la Region de Matienzo, Santander (Ortiz E, 1968) records two species, Lithobius derouetae Demange and Gammarus berilloni Catta, while Notenboom in Research on the Groundwater Fauna of Spain: List of Stations and First Results (Notenboom J and Meijers I, 1985) includes Cyclopoidea and Insecta, collected at the start of the Ríotuerto Inlet.

Cavers from Barcelona found a molar of Elaphas primigenius in the river passage near the large ramp.

A small decorated copper plate and small fragments of pottery were found in the first chamber, to the right of the river. A level with flints also exists under the calcite floor in the same chamber.

Samples of stalagmite were removed from the cave for dating in 1993. According to Openshaw (reference DK), only one of the stals were of use for studies of palaeosecular variation, comparing well with a UK lake sediment master curve.

To the right of the first chamber, a small passage is reached up a short climb. Sections of the roof are composed of a thick calcited bone breccia which may proof interesting if dated. After 25m this passage emerges on the surface. Down to the left a hole drops into 25m of low, dank, choked passage with anastomoses. This area needs surveying.

A programme of water hardness data sampling (photo) was started in October 96 and continues.

References: Puig et al, 1896; Fernández Gutiérrez et al, 1966 (survey and photo); anon., 1974b (logbook); anon., 1974a; Cox G, 1973; Fernández Gutiérrez J C, 1975; Manchester University Speleological Society, 1982 (survey); anon., 1975b (logbook); Kendal Caving Club and Manchester University Speleological Society, 1975; anon., 1976 (logbook); Ullastre-Martorell J, 1975 (survey and photo); Smith P, 1985; anon., 1977b (logbook); anon., 1979 (logbook); anon., 1980a (logbook); Mills L D J, 1981 (photo); Mills L D J and Waltham A C, 1981 (survey); Corrin J S and Smith P, 1981; Smith P, 1981b (survey) anon., 1981 (logbook); anon., 1983b (logbook); Cawthorne B, 1984; anon., 1985a (Easter logbook); anon., 1985b (logbook); anon., 1986 (logbook); material in file; Cawthorne R, 1987; Ortiz E, 1968; Notenboom J and Meijers I, 1985; anon., 1988 (logbook); Cawthorne B and Neill A, 1990; Cawthorne Bob et al, 1988; anon., 1989 (logbook); Neill A et al, 1989; anon., 1991 (logbook); Neill Ali, 1991; Corrin J, 1992a; anon., 1992b (logbook); Corrin J, 1992b (survey); anon., 1993b (logbook); Neill Alasdair and Jackson Keith, 1993; Corrin J, 1994a; Openshaw S et al, 1993; Muñoz E and Bermejo A, 1987; Corrin J, 1994b (survey); anon., 1995b (Whit logbook); Openshaw S, 1996 (survey); anon., 1996c (Christmas logbook); Corrin Juan, 1997a; anon., 1997b (logbook); García José León, 1997 (survey and photo); anon., 2000c (Summer logbook)
Entrance picture : From a distance   At the entrance   Entrance in winter showing the mill race wall
Underground picture(s): Placing water hardness detector   Looking out to entrance
Detailed Survey :
Line Survey :
On area survey :
Survex file :