Horats de Margalida
Important sinkhole of the Margalida river, in the Vall d'Aran, with a collapse of 20 x 28 m and a 12 m shaft leading to the -19 level.
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Horats de Margalida
Important sinkhole of the Margalida river, in the Vall d'Aran, with a collapse of 20 x 28 m and a 12 m shaft leading to the -19 level.
Bossòst · Val d'Aran
Length: 90 m · Depth: 33 m
Updated record
https://espeleoworld.com/en/c/horats-de-margalida
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Important sinkhole of the Margalida river, in the Vall d'Aran, with a collapse of 20 x 28 m and a 12 m shaft leading to the -19 level.
Topographic
Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.
Description
Morphology
The Margalida river deepens progressively until suddenly it falls, forming a waterfall, to the bottom of a large collapse (20 x 28 m.). Its bottom, located 19 metres deep, is occupied by a large shallow pool. A new shaft with a drop of 12 metres reaches the point of maximum depth, where one can observe a chimney down which a waterfall also falls which, without doubt, is the one originating at the bottom of the entrance shaft.
The waters of the exterior river have been deepening until reaching a fault in the quartzose sandstone materials, along which they were diverted laterally. The primitive cavity has undergone different collapses masked by the strong erosive action of the waters, which have been opening new paths at depth, leaving inactive some small galleries that currently remain hanging at the -19 level.
Hydrology
The Margalida river deepens progressively until suddenly it falls, forming a waterfall, to the bottom of a large collapse (20 x 28 m.). Its bottom, located 19 metres deep, is occupied by a large shallow pool, so one must think that the water filters rapidly. A new shaft with a drop of 12 metres reaches the point of maximum depth, where one can observe a chimney down which a waterfall also falls which, without doubt, is the one originating at the bottom of the entrance shaft.
The waters of the exterior river have been deepening until reaching a fault in the quartzose sandstone materials, along which they were diverted laterally. The primitive cavity has undergone different collapses masked by the strong erosive action of the waters, which have been opening new paths at depth, leaving inactive some small galleries that currently remain hanging at the -19 level.
History
Known by the people of the region since time immemorial. In the guide and map of Editorial Alpina (1973 edition) a brief note already appears that speaks of this phenomenon.
With this information, members of the SIE del CE Àliga attempt its location in May 1975, but the snow makes them abandon their intentions and it is not until September of the following year that they can arrive and proceed with its exploration.
This visit remained unpublished until September 1981, when members of the GES-CMB were able to penetrate again and see the markings of the previous visit. They publish the result of the exploration the following year.
At the end of 2012, our colleague Martí Romero passes to Espeleoíndex a folder with a whole series of unpublished documents with information on a series of cavities, some explored and others referenced, the result of some outings carried out in 1971 and 1972 in the Vall d'Aran by members of the ERE del CEC.
Among them appears the so-called Forat de Valinàs; having observed the topography and the situation there remains no doubt that it is the Horats de Margalida. It seems that in the small village of Arres, from where they made the approach, it was known by this name, a toponym that we find in the old maps of the Vall d'Aran (Editorial Alpina). Thus, the first exploration of the cavity was carried out on 1 November 1971 by the ERE-CEC.
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Bibliography
Ferrer, V. et al. (1982).- 'Arxiu G.E.S. de cavitats: Forats del Margalida'. Sota Terra (3): 37-38. GES del Club Muntanyenc Barcelonès. Barcelona.
Actualització de coordenades i dades facilitades per Espeleoíndex, juliol de 2025.
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Source: Espeleoindex (espeleoindex.com), modified. CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/