Kluterthöhle

Klutert Cave


Useful Information

Location: A46 exit Gevelsberg, 2 km bis Ennepetal, in Ennepetal. A1 exit Schwelm Bundesstraße nach Ennepetal. In Ennepetal (Milspe) Stadtmitte Beschilderung zum Haus Kluterthöhle folgen. Hier großer Parkplatz and Parkhaus, Fußgängerbrücke zur Höhle im Innenhof. 10 km NO Wuppertal. (40,Hc41)
Open: Ganzjährig daily. 9-16, 25.12., 26.12. and 1.1. geschlossen. Führungen stündlich (10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16). All year daily 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16.
Closed on 24-DEC to 26-DEC, 31-DEC. 01-JAN.
Erlebnisführung: by appointment only.
[2006]
Fee: Adults EUR 2.50, Children (2-15) EUR 1.50.
Groups (10+): Adults EUR 2.30, Children (2-15) EUR 1.40.
Erlebnisführung: Mon-Thu, 10 persons EUR 40, additional person EUR 4.
Fri-Sun, 20 persons EUR 80, additional person EUR 4.
[2006]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave ExplainSpeleotherapy
Light: LightLED Lighting
Dimension: L=5,503 m, VR=35 m.
Guided tours: L=700 m, D=45 min.
Erlebnisführung: D=90 min.
V=30,000/a [2000] V=44,000/a [2005]
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography: Lutz Koch (1992): Das Klutert-Buch, Altes und Neues über einen der höhlenreichsten Berge Deutschlands. von der Linnepe Verlag, Hagen, hardbaack, 316 pages, ISBN: 3894310200.
Address: Kluterthöhle & Freizeit Verwaltungs- und Betriebs-GmbH, Gasstraße 10, 58256 Ennepetal, Tel: +49-2333-98800, Fax: +49-2333-73373. E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1586 first written mention, but the original does not exist any more, only a citation from 1927 by Schulten.
1698 oldest known document by Wasserbach.
1733 description of the cave by Schütte.
1785 description and first cave map (sketch) by J.E. Silberschlag.
1800 description and first survey by L. Castringius and C. H. Stucke
1883 Heinrich Schmidt gets lost in the cave for seven days and eight nights. Schmidt leases the cave from the owner to open it to the public.
1884 Schmidt starts guided tours.
1914 first scientific exploration and new survey by Wolf, W. Zelter and T. Koep.
1927 scientific exploration and new survey by the brothers Ewald and Emil Schulten.
1935 detailled survey by Griepenburg.
World War II air raid shelter.
1950 scientific exploration.
1951 electric light.
1952 scientific exploration of speleotherapy.
1954 start of speleotherapy under medical surveillance.
1965 cave map by H. Bender and B. Kliebhan.
1976 Start of exploration by the Arbeitskreis Kluterthöhle e.V..
1996 so far the last survey by the Arbeitskreis Kluterthöhle e.V..

Description

The Kluterthöhle is located inside a 12 m thick layer of reeef limestone which was formed during the late middle Devon or Givet. This layers, locally called Honseler Schichten, were formed about 380 Million years ago, and are full of fossiles. There are petrified corals and stromatopores, which were freed from the surrounding rock by the solutional processes which formed the cave. A special sight of the cave are some parts of the ceiling, where it is covered by cross sections of fossils. This forms a certain pattern, which is an impressive sight.

The Honseler Schichten form small synclines and anticlines from east to west. In the area of the Kluterthöhle is an anticline, the layers dip to the north. To the west, towards the next syncline, the layers go down below the surface of the karst groundwater. They reappear in the next anticline, where the Bismarckhöhle is located.

The Kluterthöhle is definitely not a "dripstone" cave, as there are almost no formations. The interesting thing with this cave are the geologic processes which lead to its formation. It was dissolved by the groundwater.

The Kluterthöhle covers an area of only 400 m by 200 m. Inside this area lie a bunch of parallel passages in two main directions, looking like a chess board. The rocks have fissures in north-south and southeas-northwest direction. The cave was formed when the rocks were still below the groundwater level, and corrosive water with a high content of carbon dioxide filled the fissures. The solution of the rock widened the fissures forming narrow passages. The result are 300 parrallel passages in two main directions. Later the whole area was lifted, the draining river Ennepe cut into the rock and so the groundwater was lowered. The cave became dry.

When this cave was used as an air raid shelter during World War II, several people with asthma noticed a positive effect on their illness. They were able to breath freely inside the cave, and eben later. Since 1952 the healing effects were researched scientifically. Soon after the first cave visits as medical treatments were made under medical surveillance. This was the first location in Germany were speleotherapy was used. Speleotherpy is offered here until today.

The medical effect of the cave cave on asthma, bronchitis, hayfever and several allergies and skin disorders are proven. The main factor is the high amount of carbon dioxide in the air, and the purity of the air. A treatment typically take four weeks. The partients are first examined by a physician if they are not harmed by the cave. Then they typically stay for one to two hours inside the cave, one or two times daily.