So, where are we then?

As you can see on the map, we're based round Flintshire North Wales.

This is quite an infamous area of Limestone producing a fair number of small tight squeezes to explore. In our locality we have:

Olwyn Goch/Milwr Tunnel

Poachers Cave/Ogof Hen Fynhonau

OHA/Hesp Alyn

Christmas Cave

It's also home to the Olwyn Goch shaft of the Milwr Tunnel. The Milwr Tunnel was driven between 1897 and 1985  to drain and lower the water table to aid and assist in the mining of Lead Ore and high-grade Limestone (as used by Plkington's for many years) in the area.

In doing so, not only did they provide an outstanding tunnel with a depth of circa 440ft (22 20ft ladders) but they also exposed a network of natural Caves at the same time!

Also very close is Ogof Hen Fynhonhau which is welsh for Old Springs Cave. It was discovered by the North Pennine Club, but North Wales caving Club got in there first in 1978. Due to this, it is now more commonly known as Poachers!

So too is Ogof Hesp Alyn which is welsh for Dry Alyn Cave and known generally as Hesp Alyn. At nearly 2km long with a vertical range of 90m, it is another discovery of NWCC's from 1973.

Ogof Nadolig (translation: Christmas Cave) is a very crawly 800ft long cave.

We're also only just off the main Expressway through North Wales which means it's just over an hour from Derbyshire, so convenient for even Day Trips.

(With thanks to the ever invaluable Wikipedia)