013 Cueva de Cuatribú
Ozana VN5512(2)9507(8) Alt. 435m Length 255m

Updated 19th February 1999; 3rd February, 26th October, 11th November 2001; 8th April, 3rd, 7th June, 12th November 2002; 5th November 2003; 19th December 2008; 3rd May 2009

The large entrance, which acts as a goat shelter, is well hidden in trees. (A trip in the summer of 2002 had the visitors infested with fleas). The grid reference shown above is the third attempt to give an accurate position; this GPS reference is some 330m from the original map placement, but is accurate

The route starts as a jog in passage 9m high and 4m wide with stalagmite columns and gours slowing progress. The passage develops into a high rift and ends at a blind 6m pot after passing some fine helictites. Climbs at the end have been checked out.

The cave is an archaeological site with paintings and artifacts. The S.E.S.S. found a medieval pitcher (picture from Ruiz Cobo Jesús et al, 2008), 17cm high, with a single handle, half-way through the cave. The passage also contains some 50 schematic-abstract paintings, including complex and representative figures, sometimes painted on stalactite. (The black markings in the cave are described and discussed in Smith Peter, 1998b (survey), Muñoz Emilio et al, 1995 and Ruiz Cobo Jesús and Smith Peter et al, 2001). An iron axe head and small fragments of prehistoric pottery have been found at the entrance and several bear skeletons, Ursus speleus, are located at different points along the passage. A line drawing of the axe head is reproduced from Ruiz Cobo Jesús and Smith Peter et al, 2001. It is suggested that the cave had pastoral uses during the Chalcolithic and Bronze Ages (Ruiz Cobo Jesús et al, 2008, p119). The developing Acanto web site (by the Federación de Asociaciones para la defensa del Patrimonio Cultural y Natural de Cantabria) has a section on Arte Rupestre esquemático-abstracto. The Cuatribú section has an interactive cave survey which brings up photos of the black markings.

During a visit at Easter 2009 a number of high alcoves were seen with bones.

There is a muddy climb up at a corner which needs checking out.

References: Fernández Gutiérrez et al, 1966 (survey and photo); Kendal Caving Club and Manchester University Speleological Society, 1975 (survey and photo); Manchester University Speleological Society, 1982; Smith P and Munoz E, 1985 ; Cox G, 1973; Mills L D J and Waltham A C, 1981 (survey); Corrin J S and Smith P, 1981; Corrin J, 1983c; Smith P, 1985 (survey); Smith P, 1983; anon., 1994b (logbook); Muñoz Emilio et al, 1995; anon., 1996b (logbook); anon., 1997a (Easter logbook); Smith Peter, 1998b (survey); Smith Peter, 1998a (photo); Ruiz Cobo Jesús and Smith Peter et al, 2001 (photo, survey and diagrams); anon., 2002a (Easter logbook); anon., 2008c (Easter logbook); Ruiz Cobo Jesús et al, 2008; anon., 2009a (Easter logbook)
Entrance picture :
Underground picture(s): Looking out to the goat pens  Formations about half way in
Photographs by Les Williams, Easter 2009
Scanned photos by Bill Nix showing the entrance and formation. Click to enlarge.

Detailed Survey : from 1964: low res  high res.  from 1975: low res  high res
 from Ruiz Cobo Jesús and Smith Peter et al, 2001
Line Survey :
On area survey :
Survex file : download