Thursday, the day storm Doris arrives was the day we planned to set out for our overnight camp up in Cefn Caves, the first of 2017. It was windy, very windy as we left in the car on the short journey to Bontnewydd but we were never to get there. Four attempts, four different lanes all blocked bu fallen trees. Not to be deterred we drove back home, parked the car and with our rucksacks on our backs we walked, with many strange, amused looks from passing motorists, out from the village down the lanes to Bontnewydd, finely coming to the 'Opendoor adventure centre'.
Here there is a small bridge that crosses the River Elwy, its on private land but to cross it would save a long walk round via Cefn. To my amazement, a man is hard at work, dressed in waterproofs with a leaf blower attempting to blow the leaves away from the estates drive. This in the middle of a storm. Needles to say Doris was easily winning but the man kept on going, not even noticing us as we passed down the drive to cross the bridge. We went right once over the River Elwy, heading down the flat valley bottom aside the raging river, until we came to the lower section of the caves.
Now these caves have had their fair share of interest shown in them over the years. Charles Darwin visited them back in 1831 followed a year later by the Reverend Edward Stanley who excavated them the following year finding human remains said to be the oldest found in Wales, alongside some of animals. Their have been stories of monsters living in the caves as reported in The Times back in 1870 and The Flintshire Observer printed reports of a large lizard like creature living in the cave which was killed by a local man named Thomas Hughes. I never heard or saw any such creatures, except bats, in the cave but the stories do add a little bit of excitement to the place, especially during the dark, silent night whilst trying to sleep.
When I was young all kids went to the caves to explore and play, many times we went come rain or shine but it was not until a month or so ago that I returned for the first time since. Why I don't know, I've walked past it many times looking up from the lane below.
Anyway, the lower caves are majestically shaped, high and narrow. I have read that originally there was a track running through the cave which linked Denbigh and Abergele. True or not I don't know but it would make for great viewing on the journey. We spent a little time here before heading up the track to the main cave entrance on the cliff face high above.
Once here we set our packs down and rested for a while before the child in us lead us into the cave to explore. Memory's a funny thing, the caves were much bigger when I was young. They seemed to stretch endlessly into the darkness back then, I was a little disappointed how quickly we came to the top entrance. The caves do get a bit low once inside and so the risk of banging your head was high and the thought of banging your head against a bat was not nice. There was not as many of them as I had expected but there were some their, hanging upside down wrapped up in their wings just like in the horror films! The cave thoroughly explored, having been up and down the steps allegedly carved out of the rock by the Reverend Edward Stanley and his team, it was time for a brew and set up camp. Doris was starting to settle down a bit out side as we sipped our coffee by the caves entrance.
Night time soon came and Doris was starting to kick off again creating a cold breeze to pass through the cave straight over where we planned to sleep so we moved further in into one of the side tunnels on the left. It wasn't as level here but as we found out it was utterly silent, eerily so and as black as you have ever known. Its a strange experience being in total darkness and silence in a little tunnel under ground with God knows how much rock above you.
A few beers were consumed as memories came back to mind with discussions on what we got up to as kids before a bowl of Chicken stew was consumed followed by bed, or rock floor and a sleeping mat.
Come the morning Doris had left, there was a glimpse of the sun now and again as we packed up and walked out of the cave entrance onto the small grassy ledge. Walking home we could see the results of the clear up operation on the falling trees, roads and lanes scattered with branch, leaves and twigs left in the wake of Doris. As for us, we didn't fell her or hear all night.
