Vadlán Hole

Vadlán-lik is one of the basalt-formed caves located in Nagygörbő. Compared to other Hungarian basalt caves it is considered a large basalt cave. It is one of the four Vadlán-lik caves in Hungary. The other three are the Gyenesdiási Vadlány-lik, the Rezi Vadlán-lik and the Vállusi Vadlán-lik, which are also situated around Lake Balaton. Among the currently existing 10 caves of Kovácsi-hegy it is the longest, best known and most significant. It is one of the 68 existing Bakony basalt caves and basalt tuff caves. It is the 8th longest Bakony basalt cave.

Geographical location

It opens in Nagygörbő, on the Bazaltutca of Kovácsi-hegy. From Nagygörbő towards D a 2 km unpaved service road leads to a stone quarry, which can serve as a meeting point and parking place when visiting the cave. To the right of the quarry’s service buildings, heading north, the road passes the foot of the dead-end pit and leads to Bazaltutca. About 400 m from the quarry Bazaltutca splits into two parallel open fissure systems. The cave opens in the longitudinal rock-gorge roof region separating these two parallel ravines, in line with the stone pillars of the main branch of Bazaltutca. It is also mentioned in tourist literature (Csiki László 1953; Dornyay Béla 1958; Dornyay–Vigyázó 1934; Eszterhás István 1983). The National Blue Trail route approaches, from which a blue-cave-marked path formerly branched toward the cave. Currently the Buruczky Educational Trail leads to it.

In old descriptions (Csiki László 1953; Dornyay Béla 1958) the location designation that a large and old linden tree stands at the foot of is indeed true, but misleading, because a characteristic of Bazaltutca is that every 30–50 m there is a large and old linden tree in it. Above the basalt pillars, at the top of the ridge formed of grey basalt (the one mentioned earlier), the cave opens to the surface at the foot of one of the old linden trees with a sloping shaft.

Description

The mouth of the cave entrance shaft is an irregular quadrilateral shape. Its size along the diagonal is about 1.5 × 1 m. On the shorter diagonal line this entrance is divided by a slanted stone slab into two openings. The 45°‑sloping, 2.5 m entrance shaft leads into an entrance corridor that begins with a 2.7 m wide hall. The corridor is 6.8 m long, thereafter on average 1 m wide, and 2–2.8 m high, continuing with a rectangular cross‑section. Its side walls and ceiling are formed of large pieces of broken, flat grey basalt. The plates forming the left wall are quite unstable, several of them have already slipped. Their absence creates so‑called stone tables, and some of the plates remaining in their place are still movable.

The floor of the corridor is composed of basalt rubble of varying size. Through the entrance corridor one can reach the cave’s largest chamber, called Kitchen. The Kitchen’s width measured in the continuation of the corridor is 3 m, and its length across is 5.2 m. Its walls are similar to those of the corridor; in the middle of its ceiling (measured from the walking level) there is a 356 cm high blind well, and in the left‑hand corner there is a narrow 4 m chimney opening to the outside, through which air flows. A niche starting from the angle of the Kitchen’s right‑hand wall is also connected to the surface, showing a slight glow and being draughty.

From the side chamber on the left a narrow, deep recess, the so‑called Well, deepens to 5.6 m. On the wall section above the Well a white, calcareous efflorescence can be seen. The bottom of the Kitchen is filled with a sloping stone rubble towards the centre. From the base of the opposite wall of the Kitchen Entrance Corridor a low, siphon‑like Passage can be crawled into the other chamber of the cave, the so‑called Room. The Room can be divided into several parts, a 5.4 m long chamber of variable width (1.2–3 m) and height (1–4 m). Its walls are similar to those of the Kitchen, its ceiling contains a 4 m deep void, beneath which is a guano pile.

Its floor is divided by basalt blocks into steps, and on the widest part there is crumbly rubble. From the right‑hand side of the Room a 3.7 m long, 60 cm wide and 210–240 cm high Chamber starts. In a small niche in the left wall of this Chamber a white, calcareous efflorescence is also visible. From the right side at the end of the Chamber a 25 cm narrow but 3 m high, 2 m long (but continuing further) opening leads to the outer surface, which is no longer passable throughout. The total length of the cave is 24.3 m, its vertical extent together with the Well is 9.45 m, the deepest walkable point from the entrance is 4.2 m deep, located in the widening part of the Room.

In descriptions before 1985 (Csiki László 1953) the cave was described as 20 m long, (Csiki László 1969) as 15 m long, but these omitted the Chamber and its right‑hand part from the measurement. In Leél‑Őssy Sándor’s 1959 mention only 10 m is given, because the parts beyond the Kitchen were omitted, and others have accepted one of these figures.

Basic caving equipment and a lamp are required for its traversal. It is a fairly dry cave that creates a comfortable impression. Paleontological and historical excavations would probably yield results. Both the Kitchen and the Room, as well as its Nook, are filled with debris suitable for excavation. Its scientific processing would only increase its significance – especially its lithological, biological, paleontological and historical research appears promising.