Kő-lik-völgyi No 4 Cave

The Kő-lik-völgy 4th chamber cave is a cave located in the Vértes Mountains within the Danube–Ipoly National Park, in Csákvár.

Description

The cave is situated in the outskirts of Csákvár, in a specially protected area. From the centre of Csákvár to the north, on the eastern edge of the Kő-lik-völgy, directly on the ridge, the entrance of the cave is located in the open field at the base of a large dolomite conglomerate rock block. The simplest approach is from the top of the Kő-lik-völgy 1st chamber, moving upward along the rocky, barren valley edge. It is exactly 75 m in a straight line from the Kő-lik-völgy 1st chamber. Although not signposted, a cleared path runs along the ridge beside the cave. The cave entrance is 1.2 m wide, 0.5 m high, natural, oval-shaped and oriented horizontally.

The chamber lies in Triassic dolomite conglomerate. The cave was formed by freeze‑thaw rock disintegration and dissolution below the karst water level. A small, low entrance leads to a very narrow, fox‑hole‑like passage that turns downward at the end. Its walls are dissolved, and small, solid but insignificant pea‑stones decorate them. It can be visited without a permit or basic caving equipment, but because the cave is very tight, a lamp is also required to see the farthest part.

In 1979 the cave was first called the Kő-lik-völgy 4th chamber in the literature. The cave also appears in the literature as Kőlik-völgy 4th chamber cave (Kordos 1984). The name Csákvár 13/c chamber (Kordos 1979) is also probably the name of this cave.

Research history

According to a manuscript prepared by the Alba Regia Cave Research Group in 1979, the Kő-lik-völgy 4th chamber (K4) had not been mentioned in the literature before. The group members discovered it on 11 February 1979 during a field survey. In its vicinity, especially on the sloping terrain in front of it, several similar smaller chambers are found, none longer than 2 m. These are irregular, oval‑sectioned small passages, partly broken open and resembling senile small spring channels. Their walls are richly decorated with senile pea‑stones that are solid and very beautiful. The Kő-lik-völgy 4th chamber lies on the edge of Csákvár (Fejér County, Bicske district). From the two‑towered church in Csákvár it is at a bearing of 285°, about 1.6 km away, on the eastern side of the Kő-lik-völgy, directly on the valley edge, at an altitude of about 260 m above sea level, the cave entrance opens.

Approach: the Kő-lik-völgyi 1st chamber must be bypassed from the right and then climbed onto the valley rim that runs above the Kő-lik-völgyi 1st chamber, which can be reached by walking about 100 m along it. From below, the cave cannot be seen from the valley floor. The chamber can be reached from the valley floor only by rock climbing. Szolga Ferenc can show the locally significant cave. The entrance, difficult to notice, is 1.2 m wide and 0.5–0.7 m high, located 3–4 m from the collapse, under a small rock slab. The entrance facing the valley is divided into two parts by a pillar of 0.4 m diameter, therefore only the left side of the entrance is passable. The right side forms a small window‑like opening. The fox‑hole‑type chamber’s enclosing rock is dolomite conglomerate. Its thin filling consists of dolomite grit, some humus and small stone fragments. Dissolved forms are also present in the cavity formed by the collapse.

One metre after the entrance there is a small stone pillar, whose right side allows crawling for up to 2 m, where the passage splits into two levels, then after 0.7 m it appears passable again and turns downward, but ends. The wavy, dissolved‑looking walls contain many pea‑stones. On the surface of the filling there are tiny bones, from which the group members collected specimens (specimen number: 17/c). The specimens were handed over to Kordos László on 19 February 1979. The cavity is certainly inhabited by a badger or a fox, but there is also shed slough skin inside. A lamp must be used at the end of the cavity. The cave’s horizontal extent is 3.5 m and its height 0.8 m. The entrance, survey and photography of the cavity unsuitable for further exploration were carried out. Partial collection was made in the cave. Members of the Alba Regia Cave Exploration Group visited the cave on 11 February 1979 and recorded it then.

The manuscript includes the cave plan map, longitudinal section map and three cross‑section maps. The maps depict the cave at a scale of 1:100. The plan map indicates the east direction on the map sheet. The location of the three cross‑sections in the cave can be seen on the plan map. The cave was surveyed by Szolga Ferenc, Gönczöl Imréné, Zentai Ferenc and Widermann Tibor on 11 February 1979 for the preparation of the maps. The maps were drawn by Szolga Ferenc on 23 February 1979. The manuscript shows a map of the western part of Csákvár (approximately 1:25 000 scale). The map indicates the east direction. The geographical location of the Kő‑lik‑völgyi No 4 cavity (on the map: K4) can be seen on the map.

The manuscript contains five photographs illustrating the cave. The first photograph shows the view of Kő‑lik‑völgy. The photograph was taken at the north‑east end of the Csákvár cemetery. The photograph marks the location of the Kő‑lik‑völgyi No 4 cavity. The second photograph shows a view photographed from the foot of the mountain. The photograph marks the location of the Kő‑lik‑völgyi No 4 cavity. The third photograph shows a small rock column of the cave, the fourth photograph shows the surrounding area visible from the cave. The fifth photograph records the area descending from the cavity toward the valley floor. The photographs were taken by Zentai Ferenc.

In the 1979 MKBT Report, which came to light, the compilation written by Kordos László states that from the Csákvár 13/c.sz. cave in 1979 the Alba Regia Cave Research Group collected remains of Zebrina detrita (zebra snail), Gastropoda indet. (snail), Aves indet. (bird), Talpa europaea (mole) and Glis glis (large pine vole) (MÁFI Gy. no.: 1979/13). The finds date from the Holocene.