the caves of Nerja

We took another bus and walked down through the town of Nerja in the drizzle and under overcast skys to discover the little train wasn’t running due to the rain. I was beginning to believe we were fated to never visit the caves of Nerja but it appeared that if we retraced our steps to the bus depot we could get a bus to the caves. So it was, and after a short couple of miles aboard a comfortable bus we duly joined the queues for tickets. It seemed the rain did not put off visitors. We lunched in the restaurant while we awaited our allotted time, the visits are strictly regulated.

We descended far easier than the original discovers of the cave in the 1950s, they descended through a hole known as "la Mina" The entrance we were using was dug in 1960, to allow tourists access to the cave system known as Nerja1, Nerja 2 is not open to the public and consists of upper galleries which contain amongst other things Neanderthal cave paintings.

The initial gallery is one that was used by early humans. This was opened out to allow access to the huge inner chamber of Nerja1

Some idea of scale, spot the people, by building ramps and staircases it’s possible to walk around the caverns with minimal disturbance.

This visit brought back fond memories of a friend of mine, Phil Jackson, ace caver and my sea kayaking partner for a few years. He also ontroduced Lynne to the underground realms.

I could almost hear his voice telling me of the flow stone and eons of time it would take to produce that formation, or the infitesimal air currents that produced that spiral stalagtite.

At the end of the day it’s a showcave and possibly the best I have seen, it’s very well presented and truly spectacular.

It is also a credit to those early explorers who risked all by wriggling in to a black expanse.

It has to be one of the best managed underground spaces.....

However my wife is a veteran of Easedale master cave and a 15 mile system straggling Lancashire and Yorkshire. If only it were possible to access that without a six hour trip in and if only it could be lit like this.......

This by the way is the biggest pillar underground in the world, and beautifully lit!

It is easy to see how early man could have drawn parallels between the earth as mother and a spiritual thing and this wondrous underground landscape. Apart from the practical problem of how did they see it?

But lucky us we can and it’s glorious.....

Nature is the greatest architect without a doubt.

Some of the formations are familiar some not so......

My favourites are the ones combining an organic form with a well known object, in this case drapes of curtains.

These caverns are stunning and should not be missed if you are ever in the area....................

There is something about these spaces that echo in some sort of primeval remnant in your memories. They are spiritual and familiar in some sort of collective history before we invented Gods and Politics.

I don’t think Lynne will mind me saying she is possibly more comfortable underground than at sea,

I think that may have to do with our collective memories, places of safety and spirituality maybe, Earth Air and Water. Those simple elements.

And when as a young race we felt safe enough to dream we created art. Surrounded by the earth we began like this.......

A truly amazing place...............

Don’t sail by if you get the chance to visit......