Csővári No 2 Cave

The Csővári No 2 cave is one of the caves located in the Cserhát Mountains in the Danube–Ipoly National Park.

Description

The cave’s entrance is on the steep side of Vár Hill, east of the Csővár outskirts. The entrances of the Csővári No 2 cave are situated at the bottom of a scree-like collapse about 50 m east and about 10 m lower than the Csővári No 1 cave.

The chambers of the Csővári No 2 cave have been stepwise broken off due to tectonic effects, formed in a limestone conglomerate dipping about 40° to the south‑southwest. The chambers accessible through the two lower entrances are connected by a small shaft. The third (uppermost) entrance’s passage, completely filled with debris, most likely leads to the chamber of the middle entrance. In these chambers the walls are very loose, but only few round niches can be observed. The walls lack stalagmite crust or pepperstone incrustation. The floor of the chambers consists of rock fragments that have fallen from the ceiling and a small amount of clay.

In 1984 the cave was first called Csővári No 2 cave in the literature. In the literature it also appears under the names Csővár No 2 cave (Kordos 1978) and Csővári II. cave (Bertalan 1976).

Research history

The 1957 Karst and Cave Research Bulletin states that the Budapest Red Meteor SK speleologists first surveyed the Vár Hill east of the settlement of Csővár in the Cserhát Mountains two years earlier. Since then the group members have visited the area several times and thoroughly explored the entire mountain group. At that time they discovered two caves, which were surveyed on 5 January 1958. The rocks of Vár Hill are traversed by seepage sources, resulting in the formation of two small caves on the steep south‑southwest side of the hill. It appears that both caves are of seepage origin. In addition, there is mention of a limonite discoloration, strong weathering of the rock, and a violet crystal formation resembling fluorite found in one rock fissure, which is currently under detailed examination.

The entrance of the Csővári No 2 cave is located 50 m east of the Csővári No 1 cave, at the base of a rock wall. The Csővári No 2 cave is a flat and wide cavity formed along the shale‑dolomitic limestone strata. Strong disintegration of the rock is noticeable in the 23 m long cave. The strata close at the end, therefore further excavation work would have little result. The 1958 edition of *Természetjárás* mentions that the Budapest Red Meteor nature‑walkers decided to explore the caves of the Csővár area. The 1969 *Hydrological Gazette* reported that in 1957 György Dénes and György Szentes described the spring‑origin caves of Csővári Vár‑hegy.

The 1970 tourist guide *Cserhát hegység* states that among the limestone outcrops emerging in the middle of the Cserhát Mountains, the Csővári rock group also exhibits karst phenomena, e.g., the Csővári No 2 cave. At the most characteristic point of the rock group, on the steep D‑side of Csővári Vár‑hegy, accessible via the green‑marked trail, there are two small caves crowned with ruins. The other cave of Csővári Vár‑hegy, the Csővári No 2 cave, is located 50 m east of the Csővári No 1 cave, opening from the base of the rock wall. It is a flat, wide cavity formed along shale‑dolomitic limestone strata, in which strong rock disintegration is visible. The strata close at the end.

In the manuscript completed in 1976 and written by Bertalan Károly it is stated that the Csővári II cave is located in the Cserhát Mountains, in Csővár, on Vár Hill. The cave entrance is on the D side of Vár Hill, at the foot of the rock wall beneath the castle. Its entrance opens along a bedding plane, about 50 m from Csővári 1 cave towards K. The karstic cave is 23 m long. The part of the manuscript describing the cave was written based on one publication. On 28 May 1978 Péter Havas and Péter Szablyár surveyed the cave located in the cave cadastral area number 5222. Based on the survey Péter Szablyár edited a plan map with three cross‑sections.

According to the 1978 MKBT Report there are few caves in the Csővári rock, and they are small in size. Therefore the rock is a region scarcely explored by speleologists. After World War II György Szentes briefly described the caves. The Szabó József Cave Exploration Group carried out several field visits in the area, during which the group members made observations in the caves of Vár Hill and surveyed them. During Pleistocene spring activity, warm and then lukewarm karst springs breaking along water‑conducting fractures caused dolomite dissolution and rock breakdown, as well as the formation of calcium deposits, freshwater limestone and dome‑shaped cave passages. During the young post‑Pannonian movements the whole area rose to its present altitude, the activity of the spring sources ceased in the prominent parts, and degradation and karstification continued.

The 39th fill sample was collected from the upper level of the section connecting the lower and upper passages of the cave. The sample is a light yellow‑brown, clay containing many organic remains, with rock fragments up to 15 mm. Some recent bone fragments found in the upper layer of the fills were identified by László Kordos. In the mud‑drainage residue there were a few small mammal bone fragments and a small mammal tooth. On 10 December 1978 between 10 and 11 a.m. the temperature at the upper edge of the passage connecting the middle and lower levels of the cave was 3.7 °C.

According to the members of the group, Csővár received its name because of the cavities and caves located in the area. The Csővári caves were open in prehistory. Since in history place names were most often named after characteristic landscape features of the area, this settlement also received its name because of the caves. The report shows a site plan illustrating the geographic location of the Csővári caves and a drawing of the geological cross‑section of Vár‑hegy, on which the position of Csővári 2. cave on Vár‑hegy can be observed. The map made in 1978 was published in the publication. The sampling location is marked on the plan map.