Balma de la Vall

A large rock shelter in Alpens (Lluçanès), in the middle of a torrent, with tufa stone overhangs and a travertine deposit, protected by a dry-stone counter-wall and used as a dwelling and refuge.

Alpens • Lluçanès 9m

EspeleoWorld

Balma de la Vall

A large rock shelter in Alpens (Lluçanès), in the middle of a torrent, with tufa stone overhangs and a travertine deposit, protected by a dry-stone counter-wall and used as a dwelling and refuge.

Alpens · Lluçanès

Length: 9 m

Updated record

https://espeleoworld.com/en/c/balma-de-la-vall-alpens

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

A large rock shelter in Alpens (Lluçanès), in the middle of a torrent, with tufa stone overhangs and a travertine deposit, protected by a dry-stone counter-wall and used as a dwelling and refuge.

Characteristics

Type: Cave
Municipality: Alpens
Region: Lluçanès
Unit: Altiplà del Lluçanès
Length: 9 meters
Depth: 0 meters
Major Unit: Depressió Central
Lithology: Conglomerate
Updated on EspeleoÍndex: December 8, 2025

Location

We find the rock shelter a few hundred metres south of the urban centre of Alpens. To get there we take the BP-4654 road; when we reach km 14, we turn off onto a forest track that we follow for about 1100 m, until we reach the farmhouse of la Vall. Here we leave the car to continue along a descending path that in about 125 m, to the east, will bring us to the balma de la Vall.

Entrances

Always verify coordinates and access conditions before setting out.

Balma de la Vall
Elevation: 791 m
42.113837, 2.103909
UTM 31T (ETRS89) 425920 4662804
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Topographic

Balma de la Vall - Topography, Alpens, Lluçanès

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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

Balma de la Vall - Photo, Alpens, Lluçanès

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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

It has dimensions of 32 m in length by 9 m in depth and a height of 2 m. Surrounding the entrance, a dry-stone masonry counter-wall protects it from the rising waters of the torrent and gives the floor plan a flatter shape.

Speleothems

The torrent forms a small waterfall above the rock shelter, forming tufa stone overhangs and at the base a travertine deposit.

Hydrology

We find the cavity in the middle of a torrent, which forms a small waterfall above the rock shelter.

Other details

The cavity has been used as a dwelling and refuge. Very close by, below the farmhouse, we find a small rock shelter.

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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 20-1-2025. Dades: Josep Cuenca i Xavier Samarra (GEB)