Cueva del Rull

Cova del Rull


Useful Information

Location: CV-712, Km.12, 03789 Vall d'Ebo, Alicante.
At road CV712 between La Vall d'Ebo and Alcalà de la Jovada. 100 km south of Valencia.
(38.811193, -0.177384)
Open: 15-FEB to FEB daily 11-17.
MAR daily 11-18:30.
APR to SEP daily 10:30-20:30.
OCT daily 11-18:30.
NOV to 14-JAN daily 11-17.
Closed 01-JAN, 25-DEC.
Last entry 30 min before closing.
[2021]
Fee: Adults EUR 4, Children EUR 2.70, Seniors EUR 2.70.
Groups: Adults EUR 3.30, Children EUR 2.50, Seniors EUR 2.50.
[2021]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave KarstLimestone Pavements
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours: L=220 m, VR=19 m, D=30 min.
Photography: not allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: Ajuntament de La Vall d'Ebo, Carrer major, 2, 03789 La Vall d’Ebo. Alacant, Tel: +34-965-571-413, Tel: +34-966-400-525, Fax: +34-965-572-672. E-mail:
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

1919 discovered by Jose Vicente Mengual.
1960s first opened to the public with minimal development.
1970 closed due to old age of the owner.
1995 sold to the municipality by the heirs and developed as a show cave.
16-SEP-1995 opened to the public.

Description

The Cueva del Rull (Cave of the Rull) was discovered by Jose Vicente Mengual in 1919, when he went out hunting rabbits. He was also called tio Rull (Uncle Rull) and so the cave was named after him Cova del Rull. In the 1960s, when tourism started in the area, he did some minimal development and showed the cave to tourists for a few years. But after a few years, he was too old and closed the cave. In the early 1990s the cave was purchased by the municipality and actually developed as a show cave. New trails and electric light were installed, infrastructure on the surface installed and guides educated. It was officially opened to the public in 1995.

The Cova del Rull has developed in Miocene conglomerates made up of rounded limestone boulders and gravels. The matrix is clayey-silty and the content of carbonate is very variable. This is actually not a very good rock for karstification, the carbonate is dissolved by the water but the clay must be eroded by an high energy cave river. In other words, there are two processes necessary to form a cave of decent size. However, for this special rock it works pretty well. The whole area is full of caves, this is the only one which is open to the public. The Avenc Ample, Avenc d'Enmig, and Avenc Estret are vertical caves. The Cova Fosca contains prehistoric engravings and Les Turrudanes cave some paintings. The area is a typical bare karst with limestone pavements. An overview on the caves of the area is given in the Museu etnològic La Vall d'Ebo. The area also has one of the most impressive gorges in the Valencian Community, the Barranc de L’Infern (Ravine of Hell). But it is not developed and only accessible for canyoning tours.