Cathole Cave

Cathole Cave is a limestone cave on the Gower Peninsula that features two entrances opening into the hillside. A triangular fissure leads deeper inside and narrows toward the top, creating multiple chambers and passages throughout the system.

Archaeological digs began in 1864 and uncovered artifacts from multiple periods, including tools and remains dating back 28,000 years to the Upper Paleolithic period. The finds indicate that people occupied and used this location across a very long timespan.

The cave holds a reindeer engraving made roughly 14,500 years ago, marking the oldest known rock art in the British Isles. This carving shows how early people creatively documented the animals and world around them.

The entrance is protected by metal grilles, and visitors should bring flashlights, helmets, and sturdy shoes to explore the chambers and passages safely. Surfaces can be slippery, so proper footwear is especially important.

Excavations uncovered bones of extinct animals such as mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, and giant deer. These skeletal remains reveal the diverse animal species that roamed the region during different prehistoric periods.