Пропастна пещера "Стълбица"

Stalbitsata Cave - Stabulitsa Cave


Useful Information

Location: Hristo Karpachev.
From Pleven 35 south 30 km to Lowetsch, turn left on 301 to Alexandrovo, turn right, through the village to Krushuna. Right before the village turn right into ул. Крайбрежна, follow the narrow road to Кърпачево (Karpachevo), turn right and follow single lane road to the cave entrance, signposted.
(43.217700, 24.973178)
Open: no restrictions.
[2023]
Fee: free.
[2023]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst Cave Lower Cretaceous limestones of Aptian age
Light: bring torch
Dimension:  
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: Stalbitsata Cave, 5558 Karpachevo.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History

2010 metal staircase installed by the Association "Devetashko Plateau".

Description

Пропастна пещера "Стълбица" (Propastnata Pestera Stalbitsata, Pothole Ladder Cave, Staicase Cave) is named for an iron staircase which bring visitors through a pothole, the collapse of the cave ceiling, on the floor of the cave. In other words, this semi-wild cave was made accessible for tourists, although there are no trails or light. The cave is freely accessible, and due to the staircase, easy to visit. This staircase has a long tradition, and it replaced a wooden ladder which was originally installed by the locals. However, there is also the theory that it was named because the main passage descends further, step by step, which resembles a staircase.

The cave below the pothole is a semicircular chamber with a diameter of 62 m, which is brightly lit by the sunlight shining dwon through the entrance. The staircase ends on a huge pile of debris, the rocks from the collapse forming a cone. When the sun warms the clay on the floor, the water evaporates and forms a thin mist, which gives the chamber an eerie atmosphere. From here a 145 m long passage with a gradient of 4 m follows, for which a good lamp is required. The cave has numerous stalagmites a some rimstone pools.

A few years ago not only the iron staircase was installed, around the entrance are benches, tables, an information board, a shelter, a barbecue and a toilet. The cave is signposted from the village Hristo Karpachev and thus easy to find. The road is a single lane road and only at the beginning paved, in dry weather it should be no problem to get there. The cave entrance is overgrown with bushes, just follow the trail to the entrance.