0103 Entrambasaguas, Cueva de (Espada, Cueva de la) (Ruchano, Cueva de)
Riaņo 30T 451168 4800938 Altitude 110m Length 1691m Depth 10m

Updated 27th October 2001; 25th October 2002; 8th November 2003; 27th October 2007; 4th May, 7th November 2009; 24th June, 1st October 2010; 6th January, 12th, 23rd May, July 20th, 6th September, 3rd, 16th October 2011

The bottom entrance is now numbered site 3232 and has been GPS'ed, although all photos and other information are accessed from this page.
A stream passage through trip. Twin top entrances unite in a streamway. The left hand entrance is dry, the right hand entrance carries the stream in a flat out crawl. The passage chokes upstream of a knee-deep pool. A small passage on the left splits: left climbs up to a choke, while to the right the far side of the main choke is met and a small streamway (not the one seen at the entrance) appears to sump upstream. This passage is heading towards sites 1800 and 1801 and the digs 3222, 3226, 3227 and 3228. In the summer, 2009, site 3222 was linked into upstream Espada and a survey needs to be done. The upstream survey additions (159m) from the summer 2011 did not link through to the entrance of site 3222. A survey sketch is seen here.
Downstream of the entrance, the water occasionally disappears under the right hand wall until about 180m from the entrance, the stream route chokes. The way on is a climb 4m up a cross joint and then a 4m climb down into deep water. This can be left immediately to join walking-sized, dry passage. Two sandy inlets on the right choke and the main passage continues increasing in size until a climb over boulders and a sandy ramp is reached. This sandy passage on the right ends at an upwards boulder choke. The streamway now becomes more aqueous, passing two short inlets on the left and then encountering a large boulder choke. A couple of squeezes and then a canal is reached which joins a higher, sandy level after 20m. The left way soon chokes but the right hand route reaches daylight after 50m.
Over a couple of days at Easter 2010, a new high level series was explored. This is entered about one third of the way through the cave at the foot of a rift which is free-climbable. At the top the route enlarges to big, sandy passage and an aven with lots of bones. At the far (eastern) end a complex, well decorated area is followed by muddy passages. At the end, an awkward climb up enters a low, wide bedding which continues unexplored. Side passages at the aven have been partially explored.
During the following summer side passages were checked out. Two muddy sections were entered on the left hand side: both ended in muddy chambers with no way on, although it may be possible to drop further in one with a ladder. Two side passages were checked on the right: both are still going but are small and need pushing. "There is still more work to do beyond large pit in the floor."

The dry bottom entrance contains important palaeolithic remains, probably Magdalenian.

About 50m inside the bottom entrance to the cave, in the water, Dave Linton found a Bronze Age sword in 1975. This has been dated in the Argaric period. The publication Almagro-Gorbea M, 1976 is devoted to this sword and other fine examples found in Santander Province. Flints have also been discovered and C.A.E.A.P. discovered an iron rivet and Iron Age pottery on the boulder slope in the first chamber.

Morlote Jose M et al, 1995 describes Ruchano as one of the Iron Age sepulchral caves in the area.

The bottom entrance was resurveyed at Easter 2009 adding 57m to the length. The line survey is still incomplete, a short section between 103 and 3232 is missing.

"A man from Riaño" in May 2011 confirmed the name of the bottom entrance to be Cueva de Ruchano (cf Ruchana). It is possible that the top entrance is just "Pozo Negro".

References: anon., 1975b (logbook); Kendal Caving Club and Manchester University Speleological Society, 1975 (survey); anon., 1976 (logbook); Smith P, 1981a; Corrin J S and Smith P, 1981; Manchester University Speleological Society, 1982 (survey); Almagro-Gorbea M, 1976 (survey); material in file; Munoz Fernandez E et al, 1987; Muñoz E and Bermejo A, 1987; Morlote Jose M et al, 1995; Ruiz Cobo Jesús and Smith Peter et al, 2001; anon., 2002b (summer logbook); Corrin Juan, 2003b; Ruiz Cobo Jesús and Smith Peter, 2003; Corrin Juan and Smith Peter, 2007; anon., 2009a (Easter logbook); anon., 2009c (summer logbook); anon., 2010b (Easter logbook); anon., 2010c (summer logbook); Corrin Juan, 2010; Corrin Juan, 2011 (photo); anon., 2011b (Easter logbook)
Entrance pictures : yes
Underground pictures: lower levels 2009 : low levels and new upper level Easter 2010
upper level, summer 2010 : misc Easter 2011 : in site 3232 (August 2011)
Video: bottom entrance Easter 2009 (18Mb)
Detailed Survey : from 1975: low res  high res (new Easter 2011 survey in preparation: progress so far Sept 2011)
Survey sketch of 2011 summer upstream
Line Survey :
On area survey :
Survex file : yes (with site 3232 (summer 2011)
Passage direction rose diagram (Patrick Warren): yes