Fáni-völgyi No 2 Cave

The Fáni-völgyi 2nd chamber is a cave located in the Vértes Mountains within the Danube–Ipoly National Park, in Szár.

Description

The cave is situated in the forest on the outskirts of Szár, in the highly protected area of the Vértes Natural Park. On the eastern side of the Fáni valley, in a steep rock ledge, about 150 m from the barrier that closes the western end of the valley to the north, at an elevation of 254 m above sea level, the cave entrance is about 20 m above the road. It is not visible from the road, but the triangular-shaped cave entrance is clearly seen from the opposite side of the valley. Climbing the rock ledge on the eastern valley side, the cave is difficult to notice, however the terrace in front of the entrance is distinctive.

The cave formed in Triassic dolomite due to freeze‑thaw rock disintegration. It is a small chamber with a horizontal floor that narrows inward. The right‑hand wall is essentially a thin rock blade that also penetrates the interior of the cave, creating a window to the surface. After the entrance area there is a small passage leading to a smaller niche. From there opens a window about 50 cm wide. In the entrance area, on the right‑hand wall, a few pea‑stones can be seen. Mouflon traces are also observable in the cave. The cave, located on difficult (steep) terrain, is accessible; no permission is required to visit the easily walkable cave in ordinary street clothing.

In 1984 the cave was first called the Fáni-völgyi 2nd chamber in the literature. The cave also appears in the literature under the names Fáni-völgyi 2nd cave (Egri 2003) and Fáni-völgyi 2nd chamber (Bertalan 1976).

Research History

According to the 1962 book *The World of Caves*, in the Fáni valley of the Vértes Mountains there are small caves 10–12 m higher than the stream. One group of former members of the Ferencváros Nature Lovers Sports Club Cave Exploration Group, led by János Horváth, continued the exploration of the Vértes Mountains and a three‑phase survey of the caves in the mountains in 1968. This group surveyed nine rock cavities in the Fáni valley, partially previously known (designated I–IX). According to the 1969 report of the FTSK Cave Exploration Group, János Horváth used the spring‑autumn cave surveys of 1968 to produce a map of the nine chambers of the Fáni valley (Vértes Mountains) in 1969. The maps present the caves at a scale of 1:100.

In the manuscript titled *Hungary's Cave Register* completed in 1976, it is written that the Fáni-völgy 2nd cave is located in the Vértes Mountains, at Szár. The entrance of the Fáni-völgy 2nd cave is 310° from the Fáni-völgy 1st cave, about 250 m away, and about 20 m higher than the road. The Fáni-völgy 2nd cave is 4 m long, 2.4 m wide and 1.7 m high. From the inner seating niche of the narrowing chamber a traversable window opens to the outer surface, breaking through the thin D-type rock wall of the cave. The part of the manuscript describing the cave was written based on one manuscript.

According to the manuscript prepared in 1979 by the Alba Regia Cave Research Group, the Fáni-völgy 2nd cave (F2) is listed in the OKTH cave register as cave number 11 among the caves of the Vértes Mountains, under the above name. János Horváth presented the cave in a speleological field report. The cave is on the edge of Szár (Fejér County, Bicske district), on the NE side of the Fáni Valley, at 240 m above sea level, about 20 m relative height, opposite the Fáni-völgy 3rd cave. Its entrance, difficult to notice from below, opens on the steep side of the hill. At the top of the hill, above the cave entrance, stands a solitary young tree. On the branching service road at the ENE end of the valley, one must travel 1150 m from the junction to the cave. Ferenc Szolga can show the cave. It developed along a dry, small rocky fissure, almost horizontally. The enclosing rock is Triassic dolomite, which is brecciated. Its infill consists of some rock debris. The cavity formed along a sloping fault due to freezing and rock disintegration.

The cave consists of two parts: an entrance rock chamber, which is approximately triangular in cross‑section, narrows inward and is connected by a small passage to the inner sitting chamber. From the upper part of the right side of the sitting chamber a 0.5×0.6 m window looks to the exterior, towards direction D. On the right side of the cave entrance, on the repaired breccia, there are many pepperstones and red‑coloured mineral discolorations. Fresh fire traces can be observed on its surface. During the visit the group members observed mouflon tracks in the cavity. In its vestibule there are stone roses, mosses, pepper‑colored crow‑sedge, and green algal growth can be seen on the walls. Above the entrance there is a rigof‑nest. The locally significant cavity has a horizontal extension of 4 m, its height at the entrance is 2 m. The cave has been explored, described, surveyed and photographed. It is not worthwhile to continue researching the cavity, which was visited by members of the Alba Regia Cave Exploration Group on 4 February 1979 during cave‑cadastral work.

The manuscript includes the cave plan map, a longitudinal section map and 2 cross‑section maps. One cross‑section map shows the cave entrance, the other shows the cave window. The maps depict the cave at a scale of 1:100. The plan map is marked with the east direction on the map sheet. The cave was surveyed by Szolga Ferenc, Gönczöl Imréné, Koch Zoltán and Zentai Ferenc on 4 February 1979 for the preparation of the maps. The maps were drawn by Szolga Ferenc on 22 February 1979. The manuscript shows the map of Fáni‑völgy (approx. 1:10 000 scale). The map is marked with the east direction. The geographic location of the Fáni‑völgyi 2nd cavity (on the map: F2) can be seen on the map. The manuscript contains three photographs illustrating the cave. The first photograph shows the cave’s rock column. The photograph was taken from below the rock column. The second photograph shows the front part of the cave. The third photograph shows two persons at the cave, one of whom is peeking out of the cave window. The photographs were taken by Zentai Ferenc.