Avenc del Grau

An interesting cavity in la Nou de Berguedà, with three entrances subdivided by wedged blocks and a deepest point of -26 m.

Nou de Berguedà, La • Berguedà 69m 26m

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Avenc del Grau

An interesting cavity in la Nou de Berguedà, with three entrances subdivided by wedged blocks and a deepest point of -26 m.

Nou de Berguedà, La · Berguedà

Length: 69 m · Depth: 26 m

Updated record

https://espeleoworld.com/en/c/avenc-del-grau

Information can change. Always verify coordinates, access, weather, and cave conditions before setting out.

Topographic map of the main entrance — Main entrance · ICGC topographic map

An interesting cavity in la Nou de Berguedà, with three entrances subdivided by wedged blocks and a deepest point of -26 m.

Characteristics

Type: Pothole
Municipality: Nou de Berguedà, La
Region: Berguedà
Unit: Catllaràs - Rasos de Tubau
Length: 69 meters
Depth: 26 meters
Major Unit: Prepirineu
Lithology: Limestone
Updated on EspeleoÍndex: February 22, 2021

Location

About 450 m NNW of Malanyeu, a short distance from the Grau, a curious natural passage that, like a gap with wedged blocks, allows one to overcome a rocky crest that descends along the cingle del Devesó. Leaving the church of Malanyeu we will take the track that soon passes beside the farmhouse of Cal Frare. A hundred metres later we will leave it to follow a path that sets off on the left (yellow and white paint marks), we will cross the rec del Griell and shortly afterwards we will reach Cal Sastre. The path begins to descend, makes a few bends and reaches another path that we will follow to the right. Shortly afterwards the path climbs steeply, making a few bends, until reaching the pas del Grau. Just past this, we will see a narrow path on the left that in a few metres should bring us to the lower entrance of the cavity.

Entrances

Always verify coordinates and access conditions before setting out.

Avenc del Grau
Elevation: 989 m
42.199682, 1.888452
UTM 31T (ETRS89) 408232 4672545
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Topographic

Avenc del Grau - Topography, Nou de Berguedà, La, Berguedà

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Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.

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Photos

Avenc del Grau - Photo, Nou de Berguedà, La, Berguedà

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Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.

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Description

Morphology

The cavity, structured along a fracture, has three entrances that are subdivided by some wedged blocks. Normal access is via the lower entrance.

Progression

After descending 2 m we reach a straight gallery that we can follow for 12 m before a shaft blocks the way. Using opposition techniques we can overcome the obstacle and reach the other side, where the gallery continues with an ascending course and places us below the vertical of the upper entrance. The shaft gives access to a vertical drop of almost 5 m and lands at the upper part of a gallery that continues in both directions. Towards the NE a ramp with a steep gradient (close to 45 degrees) begins and after 13 m places us at the deepest point of the cavity (-26 m). Towards the SW we can follow a gallery of 12 m. Parallel to it and at a higher level another gallery develops with 8 m of passage.

History

The cavity had remained unpublished speleologically until 9 November 2020, when it was visited by two members of the Espeleo Club Muntanyenc Barcelonès and of the Grup d'Espeleologia de Badalona, while carrying out the cataloguing work. Previously it had been explored by members of the Club Esquí Berguedà who made practically no dissemination of it. An elderly woman who had lived in Malanyeu knew it as Cova de Ratpenats. It had also been referenced in a hiking itinerary as Cova del Grau.

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Bibliography

Totes les dades, topografia i fotografies han estat extretes del web: geb.cat (del Grup d'Espeleologia de Badalona). Apunt del 16-11-2020. Dades: Ferran Cardona (ECMB) i Josep Cuenca (GEB)