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CAVING IN BELGIUM: THE BELGIAN CAVE GUIDE
Puits aux Lampes - Jemelle (No. 20)
LOCATION:
Province: Namur
Locality: Jemelle (Rochefort)
Coordinates: X=213,62 Y=95,35 Z=250m
Map: 59/3
In
Rochefort, take direction Jemelle. After 2 km, take left at a roundabout
(called "Point Rond Léén Lhoist) and follow this climbing road for
about 2 km. Take the first road at your right, leading immediately
to the offices of the gigantic quarries of "Lhoist" that are slowly eating
up all of our limestone... The entrance of the cave is at the right and
a bit higher than the parking.
HISTORY:
The cave was found by the S.S. Namur in 1953. Later the entrance completely
disappeared under the breakdown of the quarry and was lost for many years.
Max Delpierre, a notorious local caver, managed to reopen the cave after
months of hard labour. Thanks Max!
ACCESS:
The cave is closed with a massif steel lid. The entrance is locked.
DESCRIPTION:
Length:
?m, Depth: 70 m
Pitch leading to one of the biggest rooms in Belgium. The first
5 m of the pitch are "tubed". Then one has to traverse sideways, while
descending +/- 15 m. The final drop into the big room is 35
m high. One must absolutely make a deviation about 5 m under the Y-hang,
to avoid severe rubbing at the lower part of the pitch!
The room measures 100 x 45 m. At the highest point of the cave,
one can try to find the "Secret Room"; a well hidden chamber about 10 m
large.
RIGGING:
65 m of rope, 8 carabiners and hangers, some slings.
COMMENT:
No formations, but the enormous boulders give the impression to be in the
Pierre-Saint-Martin cave! Really worth doing!
It is also one of the biggest pitches in the country.
SURVEY: Click
here to see the survey
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