The final VA Caverns Verdict

So, today, we disappeared into our final caverns – the Grand Caverns in the aptly named town of Grottoes. Our tour guide was Barbara and the group was about 10 in number. You may wonder whether one gets bored of visiting so many caverns, but I have to say, I was as awe-struck today as I was in Skyline Caverns 5 days ago.

The Grand Caverns are wonderous. Everywhere one looks, there are huge rock curtains draping all the walls and subdivinding the rooms. The particular speciality of Grand Caverns are the Shield formations (over 250 in the caves, I was told). These are huge plate-like structures that protrude from the ceiling, from the floor, from the walls… sometimes at the most impossible and precarious angles. Apparently one shield weighs as much as a VW Beetle and hangs from the ceiling at an odd angle, making a clam shape with another shield. Amazing. (But I would still rather have the Beetle, as long as it is a cabriolet…)

The tour took about an hour and a half and Barbara inspired us with her excellent information along the way – not too much, not too little, but enough to make it interesting and to encourage people to ask questions. She was older than Dillon (of Endless Caverns) and more matronly in her ways, compared to Dillon’s youthful “coolness”, but the two of them were definitely the best of all the tour guides.

I was left speechless again at the enormous flowstone formations and the pinnancles rising from every surface. These caves were discovered in 1804 and opened to the public in 1806. One particular cave was used for dances by candlelight in the 1800’s – I would love to have been there! Luckily they realised how much damage the soot was doing and ceased this practice after a while. Barbara pointed out the routes that the visitors took in bygone days. Today, the paths are gravel-covered and easy to traverse. In those days, one climbed all over the formations to get to the next chamber. And where we took about 30 minutes to reach a certain point, they would have needed 6-8 hours using candles for light.

In 2004 a further massive chamber was discovered linking in to the ones that were already known about (this time found by a dog called Rosie – dogs are obviously vital in chamber-discovery!). I saw a little of the video that shows how one gets to the new chambers and it is what my nightmares are made of – spaces so small that there is no room to sneeze! The most the public will see of these is on the video. But it does make one wonder how many other caves are waiting to be found…

As a final comment on the Shenendoah Caverns then – which were the best? Well, my two favourites would have to be the Endless Caverns and the Grand Caverns. Spectacular. Amazing. Awe-inpiring. Not too commercial. Good guides. Small groups. The formations definitely rival the Luray Caverns. And both have a “real” feeling to them. One is always aware that one is inside the ground, which conjures a certain respect whereas in Luray, one feels that one is almost in a theme park.

Thanks to all those who gave the tours. I loved them! I will be back. I just don’t know when…