Snowman the torchbearer - Baredine cave
Amongst numerous crystalline forms in the fifth room, the Snowman stalagmite is, except for its peculiar shape, important because of its extremely fast growth which is the result of the intense water dripping. While an average cave form grows 1 millimetre in a 10 to 20 year period, the Snowman can grow up to 1 cm a year. If you look at it from the side view, you can see the linings of a face, eyes, a nose, a mouth, and a big belly. The stalactite along with which it merged into a shape of a stalagmite resembles a torch, which is why the Snowman is also often added the name of a Torchbearer. During the Baredine cave expedition that lasted for many years, speleologists spotted its fast growth, so they took photos and documented the unique occurrence of the Snowman merging with its overhead stalactite. The interesting fact is that it could have happened 1000 years before or after the expedition itself, yet it did happen exactly at the time of the 1986 cave expedition. (check the photo gallery).
Underground lake
The Snowman statue is positioned right next to the underground lake in the last room. The lake level used to be considerably higher and there is one horizontal line on the Snowman proving it. At times of heavy rains within a fairly short period, the fifth room lake can reach a level of 1 metre.