Top 20 Caves ニーダー・コステンツでの

Historically interesting, sure, but it's just a "dark hole."

Construction began at the end of World War II and was intended to serve as an air raid shelter. After the war, explosives were stored here. May 30, 2019.

Mining has shaped the village of Altlay and its residents and given the village its name Altlay. In local dialect, a lay is a roofing slate. Anyone who visits the narrow stream valleys around Altlay will not fail to notice striking evidence of mining here and there. Here, at every turn, you come across the remains of what was once a fairly extensive, predominantly small-scale roofing slate mining operation. Slate is still mined in Altlay today. Source: https://www.tourenplaner-rheinland-pfalz.de/de/punkt/bergwerk/altlayer-schiefergrube/2798106/

Again and again you come across evidence of slate mining

I didn't try to go in.

The tunnel mouth is about 50m from the path of the dream loop (forest path) away above the slope behind the fenced garden plots on a forgotten and overgrown farm road. After the low entrance, you come across a rusty ladder after 10 meters and only looking back reveals that the entrance was probably earlier. Then it gets exciting, because it's a bit slippery on a slope 15 meters further and a good 5 meters down(!). If you are at the bottom, turn left at right angles. This level leads through several excavation rooms, which are wide but not high, a good 70 meters far into a dome that is also low, from which tunnels lead off on both sides. But you can also go straight ahead 60 meters, then you would have to go through knee-deep water for a good 20 meters and then you might have to go further. The tunnel to the right leads 50 meters to a cathedral and then another 50 meters further. The left tunnel ends after about 45 meters. So you have a lot to do!

The tunnel leads a long way straight into the mountain to a collapsed mining dome. There you can squeeze into a tunnel that branches off to the left, which leads to another, two-part cathedral, from which several branches lead up and down, but a few rockfalls prevent you from progressing.

Hidden tunnel mouth, one of several in the region. Exciting.