Kutya-hegyi Cave

Kutya-hegy Cave is located in the outskirts of Piliscsaba, in the Budai Mountains within the Danube–Ipoly National Park, on Kutya Hill. It is one of the three caves of Kutya Hill.

Description

At the steep hillside at the far end of the north‑east spur of Kutya Hill, 20 m below the steep drop, is the cave entrance facing north, 2.3 m wide and 1.1 m high. The entrance slopes inward for 1 m. From the blue‑cross marked tourist trail that runs across Kutya Hill, whose one end starts at the yellow‑band marked tourist trail, one must turn left at the third clearing counted from the yellow‑band marking. A faint tire track can be seen on the grass. On the hunting trail that becomes a game trail, a wooden hunting stand has been left, and a cairn is present; a few metres further among the trees, but still on a clearing, another cairn can be seen. From here one must descend at the end of the hill spur to the cave.

The cave consists of two small chambers. The entrance chamber, 3.5 m long, narrows toward the back. The highest point of the chamber is next to the left wall, about 2.7 m from the entrance. Here the internal height is 1.85 m. The left wall is curved. At the end of the chamber, toward the right wall, there is a passage 70 cm wide and 43 cm high, through which one can enter the inner chamber. The inner chamber is 3.8 m long and 3.3 m wide. The highest point of this chamber (5 m above the floor) is to the left of the passage. In this chamber clear traces of exploratory activity can be observed. The rear third of the chamber has been dug to a depth of 150 cm. Soil removed from the pit is piled on the right side of the passage.

In the wall opposite the passage, slightly below floor level, there is a small depression. In the 1 m wide and 1.2 m long depression white dolomite rubble is accumulated. At the base of the left‑hand wall a small cavity entrance 1.7 m long and 1.3 m wide can be seen. On the left side of the passage a crack opens, extending behind the entrance hall. The crack is 40 cm wide but widens further in, at least 2.5 m long, its height varies, average 2.5–3 m, and at the end there are nicely rounded forms. The fracture line that created the crack probably leaves a trace on the surface. In the inner hall two stalactite drips can be observed. As a continuation of two thick roots, at a height of 5 m there is probably a drip, or nicely rounded marks. The cave can be visited without a permit, the cave passage is traversable with basic equipment.

Research history

According to the manuscript written by Tamás Faragó, Tamás Faragó found in the area in front of the cave an old fire‑making site, fire‑ash, one empty tin can, one half‑liter bottle of bitter liqueur and a 3 m wooden ladder. In the rock ledge of the outer hall there were a short‑tongued hoe and animal bones, which may have come from the excavation of the inner hall. The author observed water dripping on the inner left side of the passage, but it has not rained for 2–3 weeks.