Pamlag-völgyi Cave

The Pamlag-völgyi-hasadékbarlang is a cave located in the Vértes Mountains within the Danube–Ipoly National Park, in Csákvár.

Description

The cave is situated in a forest on the outskirts of Csákvár. It lies to the ENE of Csákvár, 850 m from an abandoned hunting lodge (Annafalvi őrház). From the hunting lodge it can be approached on a steep path about 100 m to the N, which leads into the Pamlag valley. Where the trail suddenly rises toward the end of the valley, one must turn right, i.e., climb the cliffs on the eastern side of the valley. The rock cliff is visible from the valley floor through the dense foliage. The cave is near the top of the rock cliff, about 20 m above the valley floor. It can be reached by climbing a very steep valley side. The entrance opens about 2 m high in the rock cliff. The cave entrance is 1.5 m wide, 4.5 m high, natural, fissure-shaped and oriented horizontally. Tourist maps mark the cave’s location with a cave symbol and the name of the cave.

The cave, which lies in Triassic dolomite, was formed by tectonic displacement, freeze‑thaw rock weathering and corrosion. It is a very spectacular, 3 m high, narrow tectonic fissure whose entrance part is open and in which a large tree grows. From the cave entrance it continues as a fissure with a horizontal floor and about 1.5 m width. On the right side at its end a window opens to the surface. Many stalactites are visible on its ceiling and on the right‑hand wall. It is filled with humus and clay. The very spectacular fissure cave opens in a very secluded, beautiful place and, because it lies relatively far from any path, it remains relatively untouched by people. No permission is required to visit the cave, which is difficult to reach (steep terrain) but can be walked in ordinary street clothing.

In 1984 the cave was first called Pamlag-völgyi-hasadékbarlang in its literature. The cave also appears in its literature under the names Frádi-hasadék (Horváth 1966), Frádi hasadék (Földváry 1943), Pamlagvölgyi-hasadékbarlang (Bertalan 1976), Pamlag-völgyi–hasadékbarlang (Kocsis 1975) and Prádi-hasadék (Horváth 1966).

Research history

The Supplement No. 230 of the 1943 Natural Science Gazette states that based on the 1935 Act IV on nature protection, since the establishment of the National Nature Conservation Council in 1939, the Minister of Agriculture, in agreement with the Minister of Religion and Public Education, made decisions by which, upon the proposal of the National Nature Conservation Council, legal protection was granted, for example, to the Frádi hasadék at the border of Csákvár (Vértes Mountains) and its surface area of 10 square rods (based on FM decision No. 49.952/1941 dated June 20, 1941).

In a manuscript written by János Horváth (FTC cave research group) on May 17, 1966, it is mentioned that in the Vértes Mountains, at Csákvár (Fejér County, Bicske district), in the János Valley, there is the Frádi fissure. Suggested name: Prádi fissure (based on the locals' suggestion). From the Csákvár church to the ENE, 5.5 km, from the Annafalva guardhouse to the EN, 1 km (measured on the map), at an altitude of 351 m above sea level (according to Ottó Kadić) the cave lies. Its location is made easier by a guardhouse on the clearing in front of the valley entrance. It can be reached by train or bus to Csákvár, and from there on foot along the surrounding artificial path, then a forest road (a 1.5‑hour walk from Csákvár). The cave was previously explored (c. 1926–1928) by Ottó Kadić. (The literature used is cave‑cadastral sheet No. 82 held by the Hungarian Speleological Society.) The research carried out by János Horváth in the cave was due to the preparation of the cave map. The research was initiated by Károly Bertalan.

The cave is a cold‑water, senile rock fissure whose enclosing rock is Triassic dolomite. The work of water in the cave chamber is insignificant. Its filling consists of humus. In the cave formed by tectonics and corrosion there is no stalactite. No work clothing is required to explore the insignificant chamber. The straight cave is actually 16 m long, has a floor area of 15 m² (planimetric) and a volume of 38 m³. János Horváth visited the chamber on April 11 1966. He surveyed, photographed the cave, and then drew the cave maps. Approach to the cave: 3.5 km on the artificial path leading toward Környe, then under Mount Kotló to the ENE, between vineyards, later in a forest clearing to the wide János Valley. The cave (fissure) visible from a distance opens on the east side of the valley head. (The red entries in the manuscript are from Károly Bertalan, March 11 1966.)

The Prádi-hasadék lies in the János Valley between Kotló Hill and Nagybükk, about 5.5 km from Csákvár to ÉÉNy. It is located in the last rock fissure that protrudes from the east side near the valley head. The slightly inclined, 5.5 m high fissure entrance is visible from a distance. The walkable part, 8 m long, is on average 1 m wide. Further inside it continues with a fissure 30–40 cm wide. The narrow floor of the front part is filled with crumbly humus, while further inside the fissure bottom is covered by larger, loose rock debris. Above the fissure the ceiling is 6–8 m thick, and the western side wall consists of a 2–4 m thick rock layer. In this wall, before the narrow fissure, there is an impassable low section. János Horváth, on 11 April 1966, according to the work plan of the FTC speleology group, surveyed the cave again. The survey was carried out with a mining compass and a clinometer. A sketch map was made on site. The field report included the cave plan map, a longitudinal section map and four cross‑section maps. The maps depict the cave at a scale of 1:100. The east direction is marked on the map sheet. The location of the four cross‑sections in the cave can be seen on the plan map and the longitudinal section map.