114 Cueva Llueva (Cueva del Coverón)
Llueva VN54659841 Alt. 128m Part of the Sistema de Cuatro Valles
Traverse length 42835m after summer 2000) Depth 45m

Updated 19th February , 18th April 1999, 12th December 1999; 16th September 2000

Incomplete description.

Cueva Llueva is the eastern entrance into the Four Valleys System (line survey). A route through exists into the Matienzo depression - via Cueva de Carcavuezo (081), and to the Riaño valley - via Cueva Hoyuca (107) or Cueva de Riaño (105), although no through-trip has been attempted.

The walk to the entrance is almost impenetrable jungle at times (1993, 1994) and a couple of attempts have had to be abandoned. At Whit 1995 the cave was entered after abseiling into the entrance depression from the meadow 30m above. In 1995, the entrance was re-located after a 3 hour jungle bash. In 1996, less time was needed. In 2000, the entrance was approached from the meadow around the back.

The entrance lies in an impressive depression, partly lined by overhanging limestone beds. An insignificant hole 3m up from the base of the depression gives access to 80m of small, rift passage. The final section is a flat out crawl into a small "chamber" containing the Blow Hole. A squeeze through this, a short crawl along enlarging passage, and the head of the pitch is reached. Three ladders are required although the vertical element of the drop is only 10m.

The landing is on a sloping boulder pile. A climb upwards leads to an ascending and very greasy calcite ramp which closes down after 40m. A hole opposite the entrance passage pitch has a short length of passage which needs pushing (see 2/8/82).

(In 1995, an "obvious open passage" is mentioned "in the wall behind you as you go up the slope into the sloping mud / calcite chamber above the bottom of the ladder". It may need a 6m scale or bolt. The passage seems about 3 x 2m).

A steep climb down boulders leads to the river (the combined waters from Matienzo and Riaño).

Downstream the water enters a high phreatic maze which requires swimming or a inner tube to pass. The length of this section is 100m and half way along it, on the left hand side, a similar phreatic passage leads back to the free flowing river just upstream of the boulder pile at the pitch. The downstream phreas stops at a boulder choke where a climb up to the right and through the boulders leads to a "pop out" in a large passage. The river is then rejoined by walking down a boulder slope.

After 200m of pleasant strolling in a 10m high passage a boulder pile is met, on the other side of which is the downstream sump. This has been dived to a depth of 22m, the way on still being open.? Another dive in 1995 also came to no definite conclusions, the visibility being only 0.5m. The water is next seen in Los Boyones (site 117).

On the opposite wall to the "pop out" is a low dig which may yield? A short length of passage on the right before the sump intersects a choked, bouldery rift. Climbs into the roof before the sump have been investigated.

Following the water upstream from the base of the pitch leads to 100m of swimming which halts at a boulder where it is possible to clamber up to the high level passage. Entry to this is normally gained by ascending a rock pile to the left immediately after first meeting the water.

At the top of the slope a superb tunnel rises and falls over boulders for some 300m until the final descent into the lake. A swim across to the right of the lake leads to an ascending boulder pile beyond which is a sandy crawl which closes down after 60m. On the left of this crawl is a climb up between boulders for 35m where a solid roof is met and no further progress is possible.

Eighty metres back from the lake, a hole 5m up on the right hand wall can be reached by lassoeing a boulder. A smallish, sandy passage branches after 80m, the right hand branch leading to a 5m pitch onto the boulders at the right of the lake, the left hand branch leading to a 30m (undescended) pitch into a large, fault chamber. In 1995, a dig has the sound of a stream through a narrow crack and there is another draughting dig which needs some work.

The easiest way to reach this chamber is to follow the Left Hand Bypass. This starts as a slot down by the wall of the main passage, opposite the right hand wall hole. A mixed 200m of stooping, walking and climbing leads to a couple of inlets which cross the passage. By keeping to the left hand side and crawling under the wall a high, boulder-filled section on the fault can be entered. By missing the crawl a narrow veranda is reached with a view out into the main fault chamber. The left hand wall at this point has been climbed for about 50m but no obvious way on at the top exists.

Other extensions in and around the LH Bypass? Some during 1995?

The main fault chamber is reached by climbing down over boulders to the right of the veranda. A large phreatic tube to the right of the chamber pops out 10m above the lake. The way to the river is down between the boulders in the chamber. The 200m of upstream passage is swimming in a large phreatic tube apart from 30m in the middle where water rushes over a resistant band of rock and walking is necessary. A final swim reaches a roomy sump which can be free dived following a fixed line. In dry weather the sump is a shallow 7m dive.

Beyond........... No description exists of the passages beyond the sump. Carcavueso (081) is described up to the connection only.

At Christmas 1996, passage to the west off Strangle Wanking Passage was surveyed.
During Easter 1999, a climb up near the junction of Straw Passage entered the Timeless Series. This consists of sand-floored rifts and connects to unsurveyed passage just east of Pudding Passage. Further descriptions can be found in the Carcavueso (site 81) text.

References: anon., 1976 (logbook); Cope J et al, 1976 (survey and photo); Manchester University Speleological Society, 1982 (survey and photo); anon., 1977b (logbook); anon., 1978 (logbook); Corrin J et al, 1978; anon., 1979 (logbook); Addis F et al, 1979 (survey); anon., 1980a (logbook); Corrin J et al, 1981b (survey); Corrin J, 1980; Mills L D J, 1981 (photo); Mills L D J and Waltham A C, 1981 (survey); Corrin J S and Smith P, 1981; anon., 1981 (logbook); Corrin J et al, 1981a; Corrin J, 1981; anon., 1982 (logbook); Corrin J, 1983c; anon., 1984 (logbook); Cawthorne Bob, 1985b; Cawthorne B, 1985a; anon., 1985b (logbook); Corrin J, 1986 (survey and photo); anon., 1986 (logbook); Corrin J, 1987 (survey and photo); material in file; anon., 1987 (logbook); Fernández V, ?; Corrin J, 1992b (survey); anon., 1995b (Whit logbook); Corrin Juan, 1995a; anon., 1996c (Christmas logbook); Fernández Ortega F, Valls Uriol and Maria del Carmen, 1998; García José León, 1997 (survey); Corrin Juan, 1997c; anon., 1999a (Easter logbook); anon., 1999c (logbook); anon., 2000c (Summer logbook)
Entrance picture :
Underground picture(s): main passage
Detailed Survey :
Line Survey :
On area survey :
Survex file :