Caving in SE Asia: Tempurung gunung

Showing posts with label Tempurung gunung. Show all posts

7 December 2012

Ceremony Cave & others, Gunung Tempurung, Perak

Gunung Tempurung is the southernmost limestone hill in the Kinta Valley, Perak, Malaysia. Gua Tempurung is a well known show cave. Gunung Gajah is connected to Gunung Tempurung and there are a few caves in that part of the hill. However I have never looked for caves north of Gua Tempurung.

So when Kevin Pearce from the NZSS emailed me about 2 caves he had visited in 1989 I was curious to find them. In early Dec 2012, accompanied by Hong, we went to ask the guides at Gua Tempurung and one of them led us to the approximate area.

Over the course of the afternoon we found 4 caves. One of those I think is Ceremony Cave which the NZSS guys surveyed, but their 2nd cave description didn't match any caves we found.

The first 2 caves were rather small, each about 10 m long. The 1st cave -

Walking to the 2nd cave, Gua Kulat, we passed some nice tree roots -

There were various types of fungi in the cave and also outside. After I climbed up to what looked like a cave above, but it was nothing

The next cave was the best find so far. Miners Cave has been dug for tin. The main chamber is about 40 m long and at the top is what looks like a rest area with seating and the remains of a fire.

A lower side passage has been dug for tin. The floor is very muddy -

Looking in and out of the entrance

From there we walked back to our starting point and climbed up a cliff to a cave about 14 m above. When we got there we realised there was a much easier path up from the other side! I think this is Ceremony Cave that the NZSS visited.

The cave is on the corner of the hill.

There is a lot of graffiti. A smaller passage leads off and has been dug -

3 October 2009

dubious bridge near Tempurung

In March 2004 when trying to reach some caves on Gunung Gajah, south of Ipoh in Perak, we came to this old wooden bridge. My 3 pasengers chickened out and got out of the car and walked across, using the excuse that they were checking the bridge for me to drive over.

In Sept 2009 I found myself going back to the same caves. Having told my passenger about the old wooden bridge, I was surprised when we reached this "new" concrete bridge. I wondered why the ramp on the bridge was so steep, and my passenger got out to check I wouldn't ground the car. It was only when I'd driven across and reached the flat part again, that I got out to look......... and realised just how damaged the bridge is!