Primož Jakopin, photo diary

Košelevka Cave
Surprise on the Pokojišče Plateau

October 21, 2020, 35 pictures

          Most images are approximately 768 x 1024 pixels in size, numbers in front of the picture descriptions are serial numbers of the original photo files. Persons, who contributed to the making of these pictures: Janez Kanoni - Žan and Jernej Petrovčič - Jerko.
          Pictures photo and copyright (c) Primož Jakopin - Klok 2020.


 
48480. On the road from Pokojišče to Vrhnika, after five and a half kilometers a crossroads appears, ...


 

 


 
48481. ... where on the right side this sign points towards Vrhnika, ...


 

 


 
48479. ... while on the left side, a little more hidden, there are the signs pointing towards Dolgi tal and the WWII partisan courier station TV-17, not far from which Košelevka cave is situated. Žan and Jerko described the route to the author, they also agreed that the cave is the best around here. However, in the first attempt to locate the cave, the author relied too much on an online map with caves, on which all the roads, even those very marginal, are drawn in the same thickness, and of course we missed the target. With his companion they reached the sign in the photo (on foot) only at the end of the trip and so it could only be the starting point for the next time. The second solo attempt a few days later was therefore much more successful.


 

 


 
48482. The day was more cloudy than sunny, yet without rain.


 

 


 
48483. After some more than a kilometer of the road we see an exit to a forest hut on the right side, a little further there is a crossroads where we turn right, to a slightly lesser road, which ascends gently (towards TV-17). Three and a half kilometers from the turnoff from the Vrhnika road, signposts for TV-17 end - the path to the courier station turns left into the forest from the clearing, where you can park your car - and about 50 meters further along the road this scene pops up. The attentive eye stops at the second beech from the road (there is a stick leaning against the first one), ...


 

 


 
48484. ... adorned with a promising signpost. The path follows the cart track to the right, perpendicular to the road, into a small depression, ...


 

 


 
48514. ... and from it the track ascends and turns left. On the stump we notice this little cairn, it redirects the visitor to the trail, to the right of the already barely visible cart track.


 

 


 
48485. Two more signposts follow, the first one we pass, ...


 

 


 
48486. ... at the second, 420 steps from the road, we turn left, away from the trail.


 

 


 
48487. About 50 m far, slightly downhill, there is a pair of trees, a maple and a beech, and the cave entrance.


 

 


 
48488. Selfie at the entrance


 

 


 
48489. A sign on the wall reveals that in May 1943 the Dolomite partisan unit encamped there.


 

 


 
48490. View from the cave entrance towards the outside ...


 

 


 
48491. ... and into the interior of the tunnel, which descends to the north.


 

 


 
48492. About 30 m from the entrance the tunnel turns, first to the left.


 

 


 
48493. In the bend there is this little fountain, active after heavy rains


 

 


 
48494. Soon the tunnel turns again, this time to the right, under a large calcite pumpkin on the ceiling.


 

 

     
 
48495. and 48496. Immediately after the bend, on the left side, a chimney cuts into the tunnel side (left photo) and continues down into an abyss (right photo).


 

 


 
48510. Behind the eroded rocks of the chimney, one can sense a larger space. The wall is too steep to climb but along the rocks a little further down the tunnel, a suitable passage upwards is to be found. The side wall is nicely covered with calcite, ...


 

 

    
 
48507. - 48509. ... and in the end it hides quite a few old signatures (clicking on each of the three images brings up its enlargement).


 

 


 
48511. The upper part is amply filled with draperies, reminds one of baroque.


 

 


 
48512. The fault surface of a slightly inclined rock in the passage from the Upper Tunnel to the Main Tunnel is reminiscent of a terrazzo, the longer side of the photo measures approximately 60 cm.


 

 


 
48498. After the passage to the Upper Tunnel the ceiling of the Main Tunnel lowers considerably, then opens again and continues quite steeply downwards - a view back along the Main Tunnel.


 

 


 
48497. On the right side there is another beautiful white wall, very reminiscent of Velika buža cave below the Socerb karst edge.


 

 


 
48504. View down to the final part of the Main Tunnel, which ends with a steep ascent, filled with calcite to the ceiling.


 

 


 
48505. On the side it is adorned with this opulent canopy.


 

 

    
 
48499. - 48501. On the left side of the bottom is another side niche, which the visitors found fit to leave their signature here.


 

 


 
48506. Under the wall there are two small pools of trapped water.


 

 


 
48503. Above the water, on the wall, there are small lumps of calcite, lower larger and higher smaller and smaller.


 

 


 
48513. Autumn forest towards the sun, on the way back towards the road


 

 

Related posts:


 



 

  Socerb Caves, October 7     Članska vas Shelter and Vranja jama Cave, December 16  
 


 


This page, text and photos by Primož Jakopin, member of the Ljubljana Cave Exploration Society (DZRJL), except where stated otherwise. Send inquiries and comments to primoz jakopin guest arnes si (insert dots and at sign as appropriate). Page initiated on November 2, 2020; date of the last change: December 28, 2020.

URL: https://www.jakopin.net/primoz/slike/20120PJ20201021_en.php
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