Odvas-kői Cave, Natural cave in Bakonyszücs, Hungary.
Odvas-kői Cave opens beneath the Odvas-kő rock with an entrance 3.5 m high and 7 m wide. It is a large, high cavity in Triassic dolomite, formed by mixing corrosion when the chamber was still closed. The cave is freely accessible and lies in the Gerence Valley area of the Bakony Mountains.
Archaeological excavations in 1914 uncovered significant finds, including cave bear teeth and evidence of human habitation from Neolithic times. These discoveries show the cave served as a shelter for both prehistoric people and animals.
The cave's Hungarian name, Odvas-kő, appears as Oduaskw in a 1037 charter of King Stephen I, the earliest written Hungarian place name referring to a cave. The rock above the entrance is covered with houseleeks and ferns. The cave also appears in tourist guidebooks under old names such as Betyárbarlang (Robber's Cave) and Gerence-barlang.
The cave can be reached via a marked hiking trail with red stripes starting from Gerence Valley and leading toward the Vajda Péter lookout on Kőris mountain. Wear sturdy shoes and follow the marked paths, as the terrain can be uneven and rocky.
The cave functions as a winter shelter for several bat species that seek refuge there during the colder months. This natural winter habitat makes the site an important space for local bat populations in the region.
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