“Every now and then I pull myself through holes, having no idea of the several-metre falls that wait beyond them. I wish that I had refreshed what little rock climbing skills I have before the journey.

We have almost reached the bottom. I lie down on my stomach and peer through a small hole. My mind argues strongly as I wonder how to get through the narrow gap. If I did not know that Szabolcs, who is much bigger than me, has just gone through it, my descent would end here. I take a deep breath and, kicking strongly, plunge head first into the gap. I extend my hands and pull myself forward centimetre by centimetre. The distance of a few metres feels like an eternity. My fingers slip on the surface of the clay-covered stones. The others’ encouraging calls sound distant.

I get through and struggle to my feet. I take a few steps forward and peek down the next steep drop. I turn around and look at the gap that I have just come through. At first, I cannot see it at all. I realise how easy it is to get lost in these caves. The route that looks most obvious is not necessarily the way out, but often takes you deeper into the many kilometres of caves.

The view that opens after the last gap is breathtaking. The immense underground hall before us developed a million years ago in the depths of the mountain. The surface of the water gradually descended in the area, and the caves dried out completely approximately 210,000 years ago. I can imagine how Szabolcs and Péter felt when they first saw this, 25 years ago. This find is every cave adventurer’s dream.

The lights of our helmets form a chain that wanders quietly through the halls. The atmosphere is solemn and somehow unreal. Szabolcs takes us from one hall to another, showing us most extraordinary formations. Every now and then we crawl in clay tunnels.

The surface of the water has slowly descended in the cave. Where the pond used to be, calcium carbonate has dried into glittering plates that are like ice. Crystals are attached to stalactites and projections in the caves. They look like ice decorations. The shades of colour vary from bright white to the dark brown of the stalactite.”