1874 Snottite Cave (Cueva de las Esquimaduelas)
Cobadal 30T 0448138 4798562 Altitude 147m Length 470m Depth 20m

Updated 21st October 2003; 1st February, 20th May, 7th October 2006; 8th October 2007; 16th April, 8th November 2008; 7th May 2009; 27th May 2011

Apparently, the depression is called Las Esquimaduelas, so the cave should be called Cueva de las Esquimaduelas.

The strongly draughting entrance lies in a steep-sided, wooded shakehole, next to Rubbish Dump Cave (site 1873) and is a small hole excavated down through soil and boulders. This may have to be re-excavated each year if the farmer decides to cover it over.
A hands-and-knees crawl lowers to flat out through an excavated section and then between mud banks. A route through boulders breaks into a stooping streamway which becomes walking-size before meeting a collapse at a chamber. A wriggle down between blocks enters a meandering streamway that meets Snottite Junction.
Downstream the water disappears to the left and the passage becomes very low ahead. Some digging was carried out during Easter 2006 but the rock was proving "very hard" in the summer. This area was further attacked during the summer of 2007 and progress made along Owl Neck Crawl. Beyond, the passage develops into a 5m deep, narrow rift that needs enlarging to get to the water below. At the end of the rift, the passage at high level is about 65cm wide and 15cm high. (See sketch). Work was curtailed during Easter 2008 because of the amount of water. At Easter 2009, it was suggested that rock needed to be removed.
Upstream the passage rises past various inlets to meet a high rift chamber with the stream entering from a crawl 2m above the floor. The crawl soon splits and fades possibly being fed by the shakehole at site 1873. The cave in this region has risen back up to the altitude of the entrance.
On a trip in the summer of 2003, the inlets were pushed and surveyed.
Some suggestions for possible destinations for the water are shown here.

A diagram of the hydrology of the San Antonio - Hornedo - Cobadal area drawn after Easter 2011 can be found here.

Reference: anon., 2003b (Easter logbook); anon., 2003c (summer logbook); Corrin Juan, 2005; anon., 2006d (summer logbook); anon., 2007d (summer logbook); anon., 2007d (summer logbook); anon., 2008c (Easter logbook); Corrin Juan, 2007a; anon., 2009a (Easter logbook)
Entrance pictures: sandstone on limestone   excavations: 1  2   shakehole with entrance
Underground picture(s):
Videos: Eski investigating the almost excavated entrance  See also walk from Orchard Cave towards 1874
Detailed survey: 1:500 after Easter 2003   1:500 after summer 2003   sketch of dig area, 2007
Line survey:
On area survey: pdf file with Torcida, Orchard and Woodcutters' Caves
Survex file: download