Marble Arch Caves

The cradle formation of a section called the Crystal Palace inside the caves. From the journal; When the time arrived our guide, properly dressed with helmet, light, and life-jacket, guided us down a small trail. From the trail, a huge opening soon dawned into sight, and from the rustling of the trees and the dripping of the rain a light 'rush' of water could be detected from down below. As we got closer it soon grew into the sound of a fully swollen underground river. The guide informed us of the small boat ride, and as he was doing so Mr. Richardson spotted the raging river. Grabbing my hand he called out that I owed him for this, as we now entered the cave.

Perhaps it was a bit mean to tell him that there was no way on earth anyone would put a boat on the river that he spotted, as it had no room for air anywhere, but he soon eased up as he spotted the river system we would be 'boating' on. A tranquil and calm body of water, and despite being blacker than the night we were assured it wasn't deep.

The ride lasted only a few minutes, and a short climb awaited. Soon the formations appeared, and for all I cared the guide could have been calling me names, I ADORE the rawness of the forms, the coolness in the air, the feeling of timelessness as you stare at forms that you know take a hundred years to grow a couple of millimeters, and there before you hangs a formation over 30cm long. Time giants for sure!

The whole place was magical, a definitely a must-see for anyone near that place. The last treat involved the largest in the caves; Martel's Stalactite, named after the man that first explored the place; Édouard-Alfred Martel. His companion, Lyster Jameson, was also named, in the slightly smaller stalactite that sits along side it.