Location
Access to Draenen is controlled by the PDCMG through the main entrance on Gilwern Hill above Blaenavon (see below for more details on other entrances). The entrance is at Grid Reference SO 2467:1176, Altitude: 362m (shown on the map below). The cave should be approached by the path from the road by the Pwll Du Adventure Centre.
The car park opposite the (sadly now closed) Lamb and Fox pub has been blocked off. Please park sensibly elsewhere and do not block access to the farm or the adventure centre.
Key
The cave is gated and padlocked and requires a key to get in. Keys are held by several of the member clubs of the PDCMG, so if you are member of one of these getting a key should be straightforward. Multi-club trips are also allowed as long as one of the members is from a key-holding club, so this may be another option if you know someone from such a club.
Caving clubs can also request a temporary key from the Permit Secretary at email address permits@pdcmg.org.
You may need to send to the address below:
- The name of the club you are applying on behalf of
- The address you would like a key sent to
- A large letter stamp
PDCMG Permit Secretary 10 Danygrug Crickhowell NP8 1DD
Conditions of Access
It is a requirement of access to the cave that all trips in the cave are logged; there is a logbook installed at Cairn Junction within the cave for this purpose. Please report any shortages of pencils or paper to the Secretary. Please also follow the Code of Conduct.
Additional Entrances
Access is permitted to Draenen through an Access Licence agreed between the PDCMG member clubs and the landowner (Pwlldu Conservation Ltd). The landowner only permits access through the main entrance as described above.
Two additional known entrances that have been dug open on the landowner’s land without permission remain open. We request cavers follow the landowner’s wishes and do not attempt to use these in order to maintain good relations with the landowner and avoid jeopardising future access permission.
A further entrance (Ogof Tarddiad Pwll Du) has been dug open on separate land that is not covered by the license agreed by PDCMG, and as such we do not provide any details here. For the state of the current access situation to and through this cave please refer to Caving Wales and Natural Resources Wales.
Entrance Policy and Politics
The politics surrounding the entrance or entrances to Draenen has been one of the most contentious issues in British caving politics over the past decade, involving at times legal battles and the police.
The original entrance policy voted on by the PDCMG and agreed with the landowner was to maintain a single entrance to the cave, though leaving open the possibility that other entrances could be considered in the future.
After a review and vote in October 2022, the PDCMG entrance policy was updated. The PDCMG agreed to explicitly consider new entrances on a case-by-case basis, and would look at proposals to adopt other entrances if put forward by cavers. To date, no proposals for adopting further entrances have been received.
New entrance proposals would be voted on at a PDCMG meeting, and then recommended to the landowner if successful. The landowner would then consider the recommendation and the new entrance would become official if they were persuaded.
We are optimistic that future entrance controversies can be resolved amicably. In the meantime, please don’t exacerbate the situation, and don’t let the politics put you off visiting one of the UK’s greatest caves.
