Cova del Tabac

A 198-metre-long cave in the municipality of Camarasa, known since ancient times and explored by Lluis M. Vidal in the 19th century.

Camarasa • Noguera 198m 21m

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Cova del Tabac

A 198-metre-long cave in the municipality of Camarasa, known since ancient times and explored by Lluis M. Vidal in the 19th century.

Camarasa · Noguera

Length: 198 m · Depth: 21 m

Updated record

https://espeleoworld.com/en/c/cova-del-tabac-camarasa

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 198-metre-long cave in the municipality of Camarasa, known since ancient times and explored by Lluis M. Vidal in the 19th century.

Characteristics

Type: Cave
Municipality: Camarasa
Region: Noguera
Unit: Serres marginals - Oest
Length: 198 meters
Depth: 21 meters
Major Unit: Prepirineu
Lithology: Limestone
Updated on EspeleoÍndex: November 17, 2012

Location

The cave is located in the municipality of Camarasa. From the Camarasa dam a path sets off in the direction of the Vilanova de la Sal train halt, skirting the reservoir. At one point along the path there is a sign indicating the cova del Tabac, the only turning we will find; you must take the path on the left and follow it. The path climbs gently until you reach a simple scramble, which can be avoided by taking a slightly longer route. From here there is a steep climb at the end of which we will find the avenc del Tabac, which opens in the middle of the path; a hundred metres further on we will reach the cova del Tabac.

Entrances

Always verify coordinates and access conditions before setting out.

Cova del Tabac
Elevation: 633 m
41.901800, 0.878550
UTM 31T (ED 50) 324126 4641253
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Topographic

Cova del Tabac - Topography, Camarasa, Noguera

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Photos

Cova del Tabac - Photo, Camarasa, Noguera

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Description

Morphology

The entrance is 17 x 15 metres and gives way to a gallery of considerable dimensions, something rare at our latitudes. At approximately 50 metres from the entrance we find a chamber of 25 x 25 metres, where the gallery turns slightly to the left. Some 30 metres further on the gallery turns to the right, following a northerly direction; at this point we find the greatest height of the gallery, 21 metres. At this same spot, if we head to the south side, we will find a small chamber, at the end of which there is, at ground level, a small crawl that allows entry into a chamber of 6 x 4 metres and 4 m in height. Back once more in the gallery, it continues with a gentle climb and maintaining its proportions, which diminish as we reach the end of the cave. The cave is obstructed at its final point by sediments. From this point to the nearby cova del Pas del Sastre there is a distance of only between 7 and 9 metres of sediments. Very probably both caves at one time formed a single cavity.

Speleothems

The chamber of 6 x 4 metres and 4 m in height has a good deal of lithogenic formation.

Other details

Also at this point, on the left-hand wall, paintings have been found.

History

Known since ancient times, it was already explored by Lluis M. Vidal in the middle of the 19th century. Guano had always been extracted due to the colony of bats existing in the cave, although in recent years this has been shifting towards the cova de l'Escaleta. In times past a popular belief held that the guano of the cave was used as "rapé" by smokers, making a mixture between the toponym and the contents of the cave, but always seeking the economic aspect that the cave could have.