Jordbrugrotta

Jordbrugrotta is a cave system in the upper part of the Plurdalen valley, in Rana Municipality, Nordland county, northern Norway. It is better known among cavers than among ordinary visitors, and it is one of the longer caves in the region.

Where is Jordbrugrotta?

The cave lies in upper Plurdalen, beside the river, in Rana Municipality. It sits roughly two kilometres south of the dam at Kallvatnet lake. The area is in the north of Norway, where marble bedrock hosts extensive underground passages. The coordinates are about 66.22° N, 14.77° E.

Where does the name come from?

The name comes from Jordbrua, a farm further down the valley. "Grotta" simply means "the cave" in Norwegian. Be careful not to confuse it with another cave of the same name in Beiarn Municipality, which is a completely different place.

How big is it?

Norwegian sources describe Jordbrugrotta as a system more than three kilometres long. It has at least three entrances and large passages. It is also a demanding cave: water-filled, with steep drops that call for rope ladders. Several giant's kettles are found inside, most of them half full of water and shallow enough to wade through.

What is the cave made of?

It has formed in marble banded in grey and white. The age and exact origin of the system are poorly understood, so the cave still holds open questions for researchers.

How was it explored?

The cave was found during the Second World War. Attempts to enter it from the Sprutfossen waterfall began in 1949. A British school caving club explored the system in 1962 and 1964, and those expeditions produced some of the earliest descriptions of its layout.

Is it the same as Pluragrotta?

Sources explicitly warn against mixing the two up. Pluragrotta is a separate cave about 3.5 km to the north. It is a flooded cave and the deepest in Northern Europe. Jordbrugrotta is its own system, even though it lies in the same part of Rana.

Frequently asked questions

Can tourists visit Jordbrugrotta? It is a cave for experienced cavers. It is wet, needs rope ladders and equipment, and is not suited to an unprepared walk. We found no current information on access rules or permits.

Where exactly is Jordbrugrotta? In upper Plurdalen in Rana Municipality, about two kilometres south of the Kallvatnet dam.

How long is the cave? More than three kilometres according to Norwegian sources, with at least three entrances.

Where does the name come from? From the farm Jordbrua, further down the valley.

Is it the same as Pluragrotta? No. Pluragrotta is a different cave about 3.5 km to the north, the deepest in Northern Europe.