caving trips uk

Top 10 caving destinations in the UK

1. alum pot, yorkshire.

See the UK from a new perspective

© Lost Earth Adventures

2. Gaping Gill, Yorkshire

Grab some mates for a unique weekend

3. The Easegill system, Yorkshire

© Jarvist Moore Frost

4. Ogof Ffynnon Ddu, South Wales

5. ogof draenen, south wales, 6. porth yr ogof, south wales.

Get ready to get wet

© Call of the Wild

7. Clearwell Caves, Gloucestershire

8. swildon's hole, somerset, 9. giant’s hole, peak district, 10. fingal's cave, inner hebrides.

Guided Adventure Caving and Mine Exploration Trips in Snowdonia North Wales

With go below underground adventures.

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The Ultimate Underground Adventure

Test your nerve by journeying through a mountain via a series of exciting adventurous challenges on one of our three epic underground adventures. Try your hand at zip-lining through caverns, or climbing up a vertical shaft, boating across a lake, traverse over an abyss, scale a waterfall or abseil your way down to the deepest point in the UK! It’s Adrenaline pumping, heart thumping, pulse jumping fun, guided by the most fun, experienced and qualified instructors in the country!

You can join us all year round, whatever the weather! No previous experience is necessary, there's no potholing or squeezing through small gaps. We provide all safety equipment and footwear. So come on over to the dark side - Adventure starts where daylight ends!

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Caving in Wales

Think you’ve seen all there is to see in Wales? Well you’ve never seen it quite like this before!

At Adventure Britain we offer some of the best caving experiences available in the UK, from our home in Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons).

Caving or speleology is the underground exploration of natural or man-made caverns .  Cave systems have taken thousands of years to evolve their fantastic shapes, and crystal & clay formations. Stalagtites and stalagmites found across the rocky cave floor and roofs are just two types of calcite formations that may greet a visitor to this unique natural world. Virgin clay floors remain as pristine as the day ancient floodwaters last receded. A caving trip and caving tour takes you to a world that, whether you are the first to enter or not, will leave an unforgettable impression.

What will I be doing during the caving session in South Wales?

Who can go caving ?

Where can I go caving ?

Our caving sessions take place in the wonderful range of limestone caves on offer within Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park, Wales. Caves such as Bridge Cave, Porth-Yr-Ogof (2,220m in length), Little Neath River (7,855m in length) can be used.

Duration/Length of the caving session?

When can I do it?

We operate our caving sessions in South Wales all year.

What is it going to cost me?

Phone for details or contact us. This will vary depending on the nature of the booking and age of participants.

What will I have to wear for my caving session?

A full kit list will be issued upon booking however we will supply you with a helmet, lamp and caving suit. You need to bring old warm clothes. No jeans. As to footwear, good fitting wellingtons with non-slip treads are best, otherwise boots without hooks for laces are suitable.

Whatever you wear will get wet but that’s part of the fun!

Good combinations of activities

Suitable for combination with other activities for weekends or longer duration visits. It can be combined with any of the range of activities available whether it be canyoning, gorge walking, climbing, quad biking, paintball and clays.

Can I use a camera?

Yes you can as there will be an opportunity to take photos at the start and finish but little opportunity when on the activity.

If any of the above interest you, contact us now !

We had a great time thank you! The guys that held the session were excellent and the challenges were fun. The ‘toilet’ and the final walk up the flowing river were resounding favourites amongst our group, as was the chance to sit peacefully in the total darkness listening to the water flow. Thumbs up from us! – J Townsend, 2023

Prices from £65 per person

Unleash Your Adventurous Spirit with an Unbeatable Caving Experience in Yorkshire!

Caving is an experience that will leave an indelible mark on your memory. At How Stean Gorge, your caving journey will lead you through the underground passages of Nidderdale, where you’ll encounter a world of wonder and mystery. Wade through crystalline waters, scramble through vast caverns, and marvel at the sight of ancient fossils. Embrace the challenge of sliding through the mud as you navigate horizontal and vertical routes, uncovering the secrets of the Nidderdale cave system, a network of  twelve kilometres of intertwining passageways  including caves like the renowned Manchester Hole and Goyden Pot.

What is Caving

Caving, also known as potholing, is an exhilarating adventure activity that involves exploring the subterranean world of caves and underground passages. Participants venture into naturally created caves to experience the breath taking beauty and mystery hidden beneath the earth’s surface. You are, of course, equipped with safety gear such as helmets, headlamps, and knee pads, which allows our cavers to traverse through narrow passages, climb over rock formations, wade through underground streams, and marvel at unique geological formations. It’s a chance to embrace the unknown, challenge personal boundaries, and immerse oneself in a world of darkness and wonders few have seen. Caving offers a rare opportunity to connect with nature’s hidden realms and witness the captivating forces that have shaped our planet for millennia, leaving participants with unforgettable memories and a deep appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the natural world underground.

More Outdoor Activities and Facilities

For the best caving experience in Yorkshire, How Stean Gorge is your ultimate destination. And there’s more! Explore our range of  outdoor activities ,  food and drink options  or  lodges and camping availability . Our friendly team is eager to guide you on your journey to an extraordinary and exhilarating adventure amidst the natural wonders of the Yorkshire Dales so please get in touch with our friendly team, who will be more than happy to guide you in the right direction.

Our Caving experience includes

Our half-day caving adventure promises to be a highlight of your day! A detailed safety briefing will ensure your preparedness for the subterranean exploration ahead. With all safety equipment provided, including caving suits, belts, knee pads, wellington boots, helmets, and head torches, you’ll feel secure and ready for the thrill. Our friendly, highly experienced instructors, with a maximum group size of 10 people per instructor, are dedicated to guiding you through the depths, ensuring your safety and enjoyment throughout the entire journey.

• Half-Day Unforgettable Caving Experience
• Detailed safety briefing
• All safety equipment provided including a caving suit, caving belt, knee pads, wellington boots, helmet and head torch
• A friendly, highly-experienced, qualified caving instructor
• Maximum of 10 per instructor

Why choose How stean Gorge for your caving adventure? Our unique and breathtaking gorge offers an unparalleled caving experience that you won’t find anywhere else. With a team of experienced and certified guides, we ensure your safety while providing you with an unforgettable journey through North Yorkshire.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced caver, we our caving experiences can suit all levels of expertise. You can trust us to provide you with a thrilling, educational, and truly memorable caving adventure. Join us at Hows tean Gorge and unearth the mysteries that lie beneath our stunning Yorkshire landscape!

• Super friendly and  highly qualified instructors  who specifically hold  British Caving Association  qualifications – either the Local Cave Mine Leader Award (LCMLA) or the Cave Instructor Certificate (CIC).
• High-quality equipment
• 5 star rated (see our  reviews )
• Hundreds of happy customers
• 1 instructor per 10 participants
• AALA Licensed Centre
• You can book this experience as part of a day or weekend of adventure.

Great for Personal Development

Here at How Stean Gorge, we believe greatly in the benefits of outdoor activities on both a personal and a team level! There are several development advantages from a caving experience, especially if you’re trying it as part of a school trip or work team-building activity.

• Strengthen your communication skills : the passages can be dark and winding, so communication is vital to avoid getting lost!
• Learn to trust others : it takes a lot to trust to follow someone into a small space underground. This experience really pushes you to rely on your instructor and let go.
• Build your self-confidence : caving is an effective way to develop your self-belief and confidence to try new and scary things, overcome fears and build resilience – particularly if you are claustrophobic.
• Become more reflective : evaluate your own and others’ experience in order to spot strengths and weaknesses to build on for next time!

See more  mental health benefits of outdoor activities  over on our  blog .

Our half-day caving adventure promises to be a highlight of your trip!

You’ll meet your instructor at How Stean Gorge (HG3 5SF) at the appointed day and time. Please come to reception/café on arrival.

When does this take place?

Daily: Activities generally start at 9.30am for morning sessions and 1.30pm for afternoon sessions. This activity is available throughout the year, however, we do constantly monitor weather conditions for safety purposes. Booking is essential.

What to Expect

You can look forward to walking, crawling, climbing or  abseiling  around some of the most incredible natural wonders that the country has to offer. If you’re looking for something a bit different – and you don’t mind a bit of mud! – then a Yorkshire caving experience is a must.

• Full or half-day UK caving experiences
• Book time with a private instructor or an open session with mixed groups
• Tailored sessions for beginners or advanced potholers
• Ages seven and up
• Available for  school trips ,  corporate visitors  and  families

What happens on the day?

Our sessions start at 09.30am and 1.30pm daily. We request that you arrive approximately 30 minutes before your start time and wear  appropriate clothing .

A detailed safety briefing will ensure your preparedness for the subterranean exploration ahead. With all safety equipment provided, including caving suits, belts, knee pads, wellington boots, helmets, and head torches, you’ll feel secure and ready for the thrill. Our friendly, highly experienced instructors, with a maximum group size of 10 per instructor, are dedicated to guiding you through the depths, ensuring your safety and enjoyment throughout the entire journey. With sessions starting at 9.30 am and 1.30 pm daily, you’ll have ample opportunity to immerse yourself in this unique experience.

When you book onto one of our Yorkshire caving experiences, we can link those passageways up to create routes with varying difficulty. There are plenty of options available and we are happy to tailor your caving experience to your preferences. We’ll give you an amazing time and an experience you’ll never forget.

Back at base there are warm showers to change and refresh if needed.

Who is caving suitable for?

No previous experience is necessary makes this activity ideal for people of any skill level from  7 years old.   You can book individually or as part of a group, you’ll have the best of times with family and friend groups or as part of a hen and stag do weekend. This activity is also available as a residential or school day trip activity. Please see our educational  package  details here or contact our Outdoor Adventure Team on 01423 755666.

Booking Last Minute?

Online bookings close fourteen days before the date of the experience. If you cannot see any available space on our bookings calendar, please contact us on 01423 755666. In most cases, we should still be able to fit you in, as we often have additional instructors onsite.

Ready to book your activity

We have so much to offer

Find out more about the facilities and service available on-site

Once again the welcome at How Stean can not be beaten. My favourite place in the UK we will be back again next year.

Guided Caving Peak District

We are one of the Peak District’s premier providers of underground activities. Join us on an underground adventure which suits your needs and matches your ability. Our cave venues are some of the best in the UK and we have trips to suit both the nervous, and the bold. We aim to debunk the myth that caving is all about suffering in tight wet spaces. Our trips can be adventurous walks in amazing underground scenery, or more challenging vertical trips – it’s up to you. Guided Caving Peak District

[email protected] 07812713153

Over 10 years of underground adventure…

• Our caving trips are for all abilities including very first timers who are nervous about being underground. We pride ourselves on introducing new people to this amazing environment. 
• All of our trips are tailor made to meet the ability and fitness of the clients.
• We encourage adventure, but never force anyone to do anything they are not happy with.
• We will never get you into a situation you are not comfortable with. We will never get you into a situation we can’t get you out of.
• Our instructors are highly qualified local experts who love caving and love taking people caving – we are out to have fun and adventure.
• Our trips are as interesting as they are adventurous – our instructors are experts on the geology, hydrology and the cave environment.
• We cater for every size group from one person to many people.
• We may be able to visit more than one cave in a day.

Horizontal Caving

From £35 to £120 per person depending on group size and duration

Horizontal caving means you will not be suspended from a rope but will be going into mainly level systems.

These trips are better if you are not fond of heights and can be less demanding. These trips still offer a lot of exploration and adventure and can get you to some special places to explore. Difficulty and challenge levels will be up to you and the difficulty of the trip and be adjusted once the trip has begun.

Horizontal trips are often shorter in the Peaks as you would get to a point where ropes become involved and if you’ve not booked a vertical trip you would turn back at that point. The advantage of these slightly shorter trips is that we could fit in two different caves in a day. These trips are better if there is a group of you as we can more easily keep everyone moving and active.

• Local, highly qualified instructors.
• All equipment including, helmets, lights, cave suit, wellies, gloves, knee pads, harness and a whole range of technical equipment.
• Possibility of exploring more than one cave in a full day
• Half day or full day.
• Flexible itinerary based upon your preferences.
• Suitable for all ages and abilities.
• Technical instruction where needed.

Vertical Caving

Vertical caving means you may be suspended from a rope to access more interesting or harder to reach parts of the cave. 

These trips can be more adventurous but at the same time more committing. By this we mean these trips are more involved, take more time and are not quick to get out of if you find the trip is too adventurous for you. Longer trips can also be more physically demanding, but perhaps this is what you are looking for? You won’t need any technical skills for a vertical trip but you should be prepared to abseil and climb ladders while on a safety rope. These trips are also a more expensive due to the extra equipment needed and higher level of qualified instructor. It’s probably not worth booking a vertical caving day for a half day as vertical caving is more time consuming.

Tailor Made Caving

Tailor made caving trip.

Our most popular caving trip. We go on a trip based upon your preferences, your fitness and what you are up for.

These trips are the way to go as our expert instructors dynamically judge your capacity for caving and get to know what you’d like from the trip. Very often people are nervous about caving and opt for a horizontal trip. However, if you are unwilling to get onto a rope you may not get to the more interesting parts of the cave. So our instructors take equipment for vertical caving and, if you find you are up for it once in the cave, we can get out the ropes and descend. Our instructors are extremely supportive and we can often gently encourage people to push their limits and go further than they thought. Doing more then you think you were capable of is really where the satisfaction lies. Flexibility is key to a great trip. Get in touch to discuss things further. [email protected]

Group Caving

Group caving – all types, all sizes.

We cater for all types of groups from family groups, youth groups and groups of friends right up to large events, Stag and Hen and anything else. 

We can devise a caving trip to suit your group’s needs based on your requirements. If some of your group are nervous and some are bold, we can have groups enter a cave together but do different challenges once inside. We can have some groups on ropes, some not and we can just take it as it comes, having a lot of fun on the way.  

We have over 10 years of taking new cavers caving and we can deliver a trip which will leave everyone in the group, satisfied and exhilarated. All equipment is included and we’ll make sure no one is excluded form the fun and from the adventure.

We use a range of caves around the Peak District which will suit any type of group.

Why choose us?

We have 10 years of experience in training cavers / taking cavers of all abilities underground and have set hundreds of people on the path to becoming a caver or better caver. Our instructors are all highly qualified local experts who are selected not only for their vast experience, but also for their calm, approachable manner and ability to relate well to people.

I’m an absolute beginner – is this for me?

Yes – we specialise in introducing people to outdoor activities for the first time.

Will I get into situations I’m not comfortable with underground?

No. We want you to have fun and we won’t force you to do anything you are not happy with. We will never take you into a situation we can’t reverse at any point.

Is equipment included?

Yes, all equipment is included in the price. This includes helmets, lights, cave suit, gloves, knee pads, wellies, harnesses and a range of technical equipment.

Can you tailor the caving to our needs?

Yes, this is what we do. Our cave trips have structure but are very flexible and really, all our activities and training courses are flexible and adaptable. This is your day, not ours.

Where will we Cave?

Either in the Castleton or Stoney Middleton areas.

I’m not very fit – can I still Cave?

Of course you can. We are very used to dealing with people of all ability and fitness. We can tailor your booking to suit you. Caving isn’t all squeezing through tiny gaps – some caves can be an interesting underground walk and others can be very challenging – we’ll find a trip that suits you.

Can I do a half day instead of a full day?

Yes – the duration can be as short or long as you like and the price of your booking will reflect that. You can also do multiple days.

Do you provide transport?

I’m afraid we cannot provide transport, you will need your own. Speak to us about public transport options.

AMAZING first caving experience for my 9 year old and myself. Really experienced and knowledgeable instructor. Trip was very adventurous but always felt safe. Definitely recommend. Best day in a very long time.

I loved caving with chris, he adapted to what i wanted to do and was a very nice guy as a first time caver, my dad and i weren't that good (well, me) and wanted the more newbie approach first time, but chris was alright with it and we had a blast it was a great time i think that chris was the perfect guide for us and we would happily go again, maybe at christmas. thanks for such a good time, ed and his dad., my eleven year old daughter and i spent a very enjoyable morning with al from gritstone adventures underground. highly professional, informative and made for a fantastic experience. highly recommend., superb off the beaten track tour of the caves. al was quick to gauge our confidence and made the experience challenging enough to suit. highly recommended , you will never want to go in a show cave again, what a great day we did caving and abseiling with chris. we were the only people on the cave and it was the perfect combination of challenging, without being too much. the abseiling was beautiful., i went on an adventure with gritstone during half term, caving in the peak district. i had no expectations and was delighted by my experience. al is a fantastic very professional leader who constantly assesses how hard he can push you. you are always close to the edge of your comfort zone (the adventure) but never in danger. great day out and recommend seeing a different world for both locals and tourists. you will not regret exploring the world below., chris was a great guide for our 1 day caving experience. as novices he catered to our abilities and preference, and makes us feel very safe and confident. we started on a sort of 'starter' cave then moved on to a more technical cave with some vertical rope work and tight squeezes. it was a great start to our first day in the peaks. i would recommend gritstone highly especially if you have never went caving before., my husband and i 1st met al last summer during ease of first lockdown and had an amazing day or caving. last week we did our 2nd trip with him and a more intense cave. al is incredibly supportive and great instructor. it was a great day and lots of laughs. definitely recommend, had a truly brilliant caving trip with al. knowledgable, skilled and gave us exactly the experience we were looking for- which for us was to give us a challenge however, i’ve no doubt that an instructor with the skills that al has could cater to the needs of any group. we had such a great time we may even try and join a caving club- thank you al.

Explore the wild side of Wookey Hole

Book online for a 20% discount – For a limited time only *

Wild Wookey is a multi-award-winning, adventure caving experience designed for people who have an active lifestyle and who love action, confined spaces, heights, climbing, crawling and more! 

Is it for me?

This genuine caving experience is designed for anyone who is fit and willing to challenge themselves physically and psychologically. Check out our FAQ  to make sure this experience is right for you.

Book your adventure caving here or buy this as a gift for the thrill-seekers in your life. As a time limited offer Wild Wookey is currently only £71.99 per person (normally £89.99). You’ll come away with life-long memories.

A Detailed Guide To UK Caving Locations

Caving, also known as spelunking, is a thrilling activity that involves exploring underground caves and passages. The UK is home to a range of unique and exciting caving locations, each with its own set of challenges and rewards.

Whether you’re a seasoned caver or a beginner looking for a new adventure, there’s a cave in the UK that’s perfect for you.

In this detailed guide, we’ll take a closer look at some of the most popular caving locations in the UK, including their history, geography, and the types of caves they offer. We’ll also provide tips and advice on how to safely explore these caves, including what to wear, what equipment to bring, and what precautions to take.

The Peak District

The Peak District, located in central England, is one of the most popular caving destinations in the UK. With over 1,000 known caves and underground passages, it offers a range of exciting and challenging experiences for cavers of all skill levels.

One of the most popular caves in the area is the Blue John Cavern, which features a range of stunning rock formations and underground lakes. The Speedwell Cavern is another must-visit location, with an underground boat ride that takes visitors through a series of stunning underground chambers.

For those looking for a more challenging experience, the Titan Cave is a must-visit. With a vertical drop of over 140 meters, it’s one of the deepest caves in the UK and requires advanced caving skills and equipment.

The Yorkshire Dales

The Yorkshire Dales are home to some of the most challenging and rewarding caving locations in the UK. The Gaping Gill Cave, located in the Ingleborough area, is one of the most popular caves in the area, featuring a 98-meter vertical shaft and a series of underground chambers and passages. The cave can be accessed by a winch, which is operated by the Craven Pothole Club during certain times of the year.

Another popular cave in the Yorkshire Dales is the Alum Pot, located in the Pennine range. The cave features a 100ft vertical drop that requires a rope descent, making it a challenging but rewarding caving experience. The Easegill Caverns, located in the western part of the Yorkshire Dales, offers over 35 miles of underground passages to explore.

South Wales

South Wales is home to several picturesque caving locations, including Ogof Ffynnon Ddu, which features a 60-meter waterfall and impressive rock formations. The Porth-yr-Ogof cave system is another popular location, featuring underground lakes and stunning stalactites and stalagmites.

In addition to Ogof Ffynnon Ddu and Porth-yr-Ogof, South Wales has many other caving locations to explore. The Dan-yr-Ogof cave system is one of the largest cave systems in the UK and features a range of underground chambers and passages. The Cathedral Cave, located near the town of Pontypool, is a beautiful cave with stunning rock formations.

The Mendips

The Mendips, located in Somerset, offers a range of unique and challenging caving experiences. The Wookey Hole Caves, a popular tourist attraction, features impressive rock formations and underground rivers. The Goatchurch Cavern is another must-visit location, featuring a challenging vertical pitch and underground passages.

In addition to Wookey Hole and Goatchurch Cavern, the Mendips have many other caving locations to explore. The Swildon’s Hole cave system is a popular location for experienced cavers, with a series of underground passages and chambers to explore. The Eastwater Cavern, located near the village of Priddy, features impressive rock formations and a challenging underground passage known as the “Hell’s Ladder.”

The Brecon Beacons

The Brecon Beacons, located in South Wales, offers some of the most challenging caving experiences in the UK. The area is home to over 30 known cave systems, many of which require advanced caving skills and equipment to explore.

One of the most popular cave systems in the Brecon Beacons is the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu system, which features over 40 kilometers of underground passages and chambers. The system has several entrances, with the main entrance located near the village of Penwyllt. The Ogof Ffynnon Ddu system is considered one of the most complex cave systems in the UK and requires advanced caving skills to navigate.

Another popular cave system in the Brecon Beacons is the Agen Allwedd system, which features a range of underground passages and chambers. The system has several entrances, with the main entrance located near the village of Talybont-on-Usk. The Agen Allwedd system is known for its impressive rock formations and challenging underground passages.

The North Pennines

The North Pennines is a stunning upland area that spans across County Durham, Northumberland, and Cumbria. It is known for its rugged and wild landscape, which is perfect for those looking for a caving challenge. The area is home to several caves and potholes, including the well-known Lyle Cavern and Holmehead Hole.

Lyle Cavern is located in the Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve and is one of the most popular caves in the area. It is a limestone cave that features impressive formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstones. The cave is accessible year-round, but caution is advised as it can be quite slippery and wet in places.

Holmehead Hole is another cave in the North Pennines that is worth exploring. It is located near the village of Alston and is a challenging cave that requires experience and equipment to navigate. The cave features a narrow stream passage, a large chamber, and several impressive formations.

The Scottish Highlands

The Scottish Highlands is a region of outstanding natural beauty and is known for its rugged landscapes and stunning scenery. It is also home to some of the most challenging and rewarding caving locations in the UK. The region is home to several limestone cave systems, including the Assynt region, which features some of the most challenging caves in the UK.

One of the most popular caves in the Scottish Highlands is Smoo Cave, which is located near the village of Durness. The cave features a large entrance chamber, a waterfall, and several impressive formations. It is also accessible year-round, although caution is advised as the cave can be slippery and wet in places.

Other notable caves in the Scottish Highlands include the Alum Pot system in the Ingleborough area, which features an impressive 100-meter deep shaft, and the Cnoc nan Uamh system, which is one of the most extensive cave systems in Scotland.

The Isle of Skye

The Isle of Skye is a beautiful and rugged island off the west coast of Scotland. It is known for its stunning landscapes, including the dramatic Cuillin Mountains, which are a popular destination for climbers and hikers. The island is also home to several caves and potholes, including the well-known Elgol Cave.

Elgol Cave is located on the shore of Loch Scavaig and is a challenging cave that requires experience and equipment to navigate. It features several narrow passages, large chambers, and impressive formations. The cave is accessible by boat and is best explored during low tide.

The Yorkshire Coast

The Yorkshire Coast is a beautiful and rugged stretch of coastline that is known for its stunning landscapes and picturesque fishing villages. It is also home to several caves and potholes, including the well-known St. Cuthbert’s Cave.

St. Cuthbert’s Cave is located near the village of Belford and is a limestone cave that features several impressive formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstones. The cave is accessible year-round, although caution is advised as it can be slippery and wet in places.

Other notable caves in the area include the Victoria Cave, which is located near the town of Settle and features several archaeological finds, and the Alum Pot system in the Ingleborough area, which features an impressive 100-meter deep shaft.

As you can see, caving is an exciting and challenging adventure activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. The UK offers a wide variety of caving locations, each with its own unique cave systems and challenges.

Related: Guide To Caving In Banff

If you’re planning a caving trip, make sure to do your research and prepare appropriately. Always prioritize safety and be sure to follow the guidelines and regulations set by the local caving community. With proper planning and preparation, caving can be an incredible way to explore the hidden underground wonders of the UK.

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Rock Climbing, Abseiling & Canyoning

Caving in the uk | a guide to the best places in the british isles for underground exploration, here's what you need to know about some of the finest places to go caving in the uk.

It might not be everyone’s idea of a fun activity, but caving in the UK is a surprisingly popular thing to do. Those that are into caving here will jump at the chance to tell you that the British Isles is home to an endlessly fascinating world of underground exploration, while those that aren’t into it will likely shudder at the more claustrophobic aspects of the pastime. Want to do some caving in the UK? Here, below, are some great places to do it. Worth saying, before we go any further, that by caving we also mean potholing and spelunking (people have different words for things, and that’s fine)

The Yorkshire Dales

The Yorkshire Dales, land of – amongst other things – the Emmerdale theme tune, is home to some of the United Kingdom’s most incredible cave systems. Take the Three Counties System, for example. You can find it in the Yorkshire Dales, and it’s the longest cave system in the UK. Offering a mind-boggling 86.7 km (53.9 miles) of passageways for intrepid explorers to work their way through, it should be top of the to-visit list for all caving enthusiasts in this country. It brings together the Ease Gill system, the Notts Pot / Ireby Fell system, the Lost John’s system and the Pippikin Pot system. One of the most popular cave entrances in this part of the world is the 33m drop at Lancaster Hole . It’s for experienced cavers, and you’ll need a permit to access most areas, so be sure to keep this in mind when planning.

Yorkshire Dales Guides have a lot of experience when it comes to running safe caving trips in the Yorkshire Dales. With prices starting at around the £40 mark, their caving team will help you to build up confidence in the activity (especially if you’re a beginner, learning the ropes). What’s more, they’ll ensure you don’t get lost down there beneath the earth; something that will reassure your relatives while they go about their business on the ‘surface world’.

If caves in the UK were human celebrities, Gaping Gill in the Yorkshire Dales would be a-list material. It’s the largest underground cave chamber in Britain, and easily one of the most famous caves in the entire country. The main vertical shaft, from uppermost point to chamber floor, measures about 98 metres in terms of depth. A truly dramatic sight when witnessed from within, the massive cave really does need to be seen to be believed. A natural wonder big enough to house a cathedral inside it, with the help of the Bradford Pothole Club and Craven Pothole Club you can now follow the movements of Édouard-Alfred Martel (who made the first total descent of Gaping Gill way back in 1895). It’s only £15 for a descent here but dates are limited, so make sure you get this one in the diary early.

One of the very best things about caving is that it allows you to get up close with a lost world that only a very small percentage of people will ever see. Alum Pot, in Yorkshire, is the perfect example of this kind of thinking. It’s an 80 metre open shaft on the eastern flank of Simon Fell, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, but it’s unique nature means that entering it feels like you’re transporting yourself onto another planet entirely. To explore it, speak with the caving experts at Lost Earth Adventures . They’re incredibly knowledgeable, and are well placed to take you on the kind of journey you’re unlikely to forget in a hurry. When the sunlight cuts into the cavern, there’s no better place to be than The Bridge. It’s Alum Pot’s headline act, and a guaranteed like-generator on social media (if you care about that sort of thing).

South Wales

Caving enthusiasts in the UK, especially those with a bit of cave-exploring experience under their belts, should get themselves to South Wales. Ogof Ffynnon Ddu, informally known as OFD, can be found under a hillside close to Penwyllt in the Upper Swansea Valley. Its name means ‘Cave of the Black Spring’ and, as its slightly ominous name suggests, it’s certainly not one for the fainthearted. The cave system was discovered in 1946, and is 30 miles in length. The difference in level between its highest and lowest points is 308 metres, which is a record for the United Kingdom. Navigating the cave is notorious for its challenging nature and, because of this, access to it is for experienced cavers only. Because of water within the system, some sections even require you to hold your breath.

If, after reading the above, you’re still dead set on exploring the Cave of the Black Spring you’ll need to go through the official caving club channels. Due to its status as a site of scientific interest, you’ll need to contact the OFD Cave Management Committee to acquire the appropriate permits. Alternatively, contact South Wales Caving for further information about access. As mentioned above, this cave is for experienced cavers only so if you’re new to the activity you shouldn’t be thinking about Ogof Ffynnon Ddu at this point in your caving skills development. Walk before you can run, and all that.

We couldn’t discuss caving in South Wales without shining a big old head torch in the direction of Ogof Draenen (aka ‘Hawthorn Cave’). Measuring, at the time of writing 66 km in length (some experts have estimated the measurement to be over 70 km), Ogof Draenen is officially the longest cave system in Wales and the second longest in Great Britain behind the Three Counties System of Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is, put bluntly, an absolute beast of a cave that only experienced cavers, who are part of established caving clubs, should think about taking on. Exploration is restricted to caving clubs only, with more information available via the Pwll Du Cave Management Group website . Contact the Permit Secretary if you’re unsure of anything, or have any questions around access.

Porth yr Ogof can be found near the village of Ystradfellte, close to the southern boundary of the Brecon Beacons National Park. It has the largest cave entrance in Wales (17 metres wide, five metres tall), and offers route options for cavers of all abilities and experience levels. With the help of a guide, the easiest sections, and route, can be comfortably navigated by someone who’s new to caving. At the more difficult end of the caving spectrum, experienced cavers can tackle tight crawls and sumps (and get fully stuck into exploring the maze of passageways on offer here).

Adventure Britain are masters at putting on a good adventure experiences in the UK, and their caving sessions at Porth yr Ogof in South Wales are no exception. This part of Wales is home to some of the best limestone caving in Northern Europe, and the Adventure Britain guides will help you to make the most of this. From running stag and hen dos to guiding friends and families, the Adventure Britain team have plenty of experience with various ages, skill levels, and group types.

Caves, by their very nature, have history coursing through them. One cave on Mynydd Llangynidr in southern Powys, Wales, however has a particularly interesting and unique backstory. Also known as Ogof Fawr, which means the ‘Big Cave’ in Welsh, and Tylles Fawr (the ‘Great Hole’) before that, Chartist Cave’s more commonly used modern name stems from the year 1839 when Chartist rebels stockpiled weapons in the cavern in advance of their march on Newport. The Newport Rising was the last large-scale armed protest witnessed in Great Britain. It focused on democracy and voting rights, and was ultimately defeated. At the entrance of Chartist Cave, visitors will see a plaque commemorating the actions taken by the Chartists.

In 1969 and 1970, actions taken by the Severn Valley Caving Club resulted in the discovery of a passage in Chartist Cave that dropped down to a lower chamber that had numerous passages leading off from it. Animal and human bones, thought to be between fifty and one hundred years old, were discovered in the cave. The known length of the cave is 440 metres but it is, in fact, thought to be part of a much a much more extensive cave system under the moors. Seek it out (it’s not an easy cave to find), and soak up a significant piece of history in South Wales.

Home to the cave-based tourist attraction Wookey Hole , and so much more cave-flavoured goodness, Somerset really does have a lot to offer people searching for memorable caving experiences in the UK. Underneath the Mendip Hills lies Britain’s largest underground river system, and a truly mind-blowing network of caves that are just waiting for intrepid adventurers (like you, reading this now) to explore them. Swildon’s Hole, in particular, is something special. In 1934, it was the scene of the UK’s first cave diving attempt and is, at 9,144 metres in length, the longest cave in the Mendip Hills.

Whatever your level, there’s a caving route to suit you here at Swildon’s Hole. Rookies and the generally inexperienced will start in the upper passages before eventually moving on to tackle tight squeezes, climbing sections, and underwater parts. For guided trips at Swildon’s Hole, we’d recommend booking yourself onto a tour with Adventure Caving . They’ll help you to make the most of your time down in this incredible underground world. Prices vary depending on group size.

Some other caving spots that should definitely be on your radar while in Somerset are Goatchurch Cavern, near Cheddar, and Pridhamsleigh Cavern, near Ashburton (on the edge of Dartmoor). Cave folk will tell you that Goatchurch is a dry cave that offers just the right level of adventure for beginners, with Pridhamsleigh being a more muddy offering; one that ultimately rewards cavers with some epic passages and even an underground lake. Contact Somerset Adventures for more information about tours of Goatchurch and Pridhamsleigh. Their instructors know this area like the back of their hands, and will deliver expert caving leadership to you and your crew.

Another popular caving tourist attraction in the Mendip Hills, Somerset, is Gough’s Cave . The cave is 115 metres deep and 3,405 metres long. Interesting rock formations and some visually captivating rock chambers that will make your inner geologist sit up and take notice, yes it’s all happening here. Cave enthusiasts at a loose end in Somerset should get this place on their one-to-visit list, for sure.

Peak District

No guide to caving in the UK would be complete without a discussion of the Peak District, and the caves found within its boundaries. Taking this point even further, no discussion of caving in the Peak District would be worth much if it didn’t, at some point, focus in on Giant’s Hole near Castleton in Derbyshire. It’s the most well-known cave in the area, and has something for all ability levels. From easily navigated sections, that most novices should be able to handle comfortably, to some more technical caving segments, it’s a must for anyone looking to explore the Peak District’s underside.

The expert activity coordinators at Dolomite Training , by the way, are good people to speak to if you’re serious about booking yourself on a caving course in this part of the UK. Re: Giant’s Hole specifically, the waterfall and surrounding chamber of Garland’s Pot might just fully take your breath away. It’s extremely impressive.

Other caves in the Peak District that are well worth journeying to, and making the time to explore, include Carlswark Cavern and Bagshawe Cavern. Carlswark has a lot about it that cavers will love, including lovely winding tunnels and passageways that snake through the limestone rock like ancient serpents. Its standout moment though is surely the Oyster Chamber, which holds a number of large brachiopod marine shell fossils. Explorers of this particular cavern can, if they’d like, also start their adventure with an abseil from the surface. Give it the full ‘Indiana Jones’ treatment.

Bagshawe Cavern, meanwhile, has some magnificent calcite formations and some wonderfully named features including ‘Elephant’s Throat’, ‘Chandler’s Shop’, ‘Mouse Hole’ and ‘The Masher’. If reading this has got you in the mood, but you don’t know how to approach a trip like this, you’ll be glad to know the good people at Lost Earth Adventures run a number of caving courses and potholing experience days in the Peak District . They’re a well reviewed bunch and come highly recommended.

Inner Hebrides

Now, for something a bit different. Fingal’s Cave is a sea cave on the remote Scottish island of Staffa. It consists entirely of naturally-formed hexagonal basalt columns, and is one of those ‘Pinch me, I can’t quite believe this exists in the real world’ type geological phenomenons. Structured in a very similar manner to Giant’s Causeway, in Northern Ireland, Fingal’s Cave has incredible acoustic qualities and even shares it names with an early-era Pink Floyd song. To experience it firsthand, your best bet is to get yourself on a trip with Staffa Tours . This will give you ample opportunity to see the cave from the water and also, if conditions suit, give you a chance to get inside the cave and explore it on foot.

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The best caving experiences in Britain

This weekend Lancaster’s Gaping Gill, on the southern slopes of Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales, is opening to the public, allowing non-cavers the opportunity to stand on the floor of Britain’s largest cavern.

The Bradford Pothole Club, which has held a Winch Meet here for more than 60 years, will take visitors down the 100m (330ft) shaft into a space normally only accessible to seasoned cavers (£15; May 25-31 2019; bpc-cave.org.uk ).

The biannual meets (Craven Pothole Club offers a similar experience in August) is the only time that the cavern is floodlit, allowing visitors to see the extent of the mighty cavern into which they have just been winched.

Once at the foot of the Main Chamber one of the best views is up. With a shaft of natural light slicing through the darkness at the top of the entrance, it’s possible to make out the point where Fell Back plunges over the edge of the limestone plateau and into the chamber to create Britain’s highest unbroken waterfall.

For cavers, the week promises a look at the Main Chamber of Gaping Gill in all its glory and the rare chance to ascend the Main Shaft. For the rest of the year, the cavern is only accessible by experienced potholers who can explore this compelling system - one of Britain’s longest and most complex - through one of 19 entrances.

According to potholer Ian Walker, Bar Pot is one of the best routes to follow for those able to access Gaping Gill in this way. It is one of the easiest, driest, and has just two vertical pitches to contend with.

“Once you’ve made it down the pitches, the route takes you along a narrow passage”, he says. “As you get closer to the Main Chamber, you can hear the sound of falling water. Eventually, you reach a large chamber - large enough to house the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral - and you look up to see the water coming off the fell above. The sound and spray this makes as it plunges to the ground is breathtaking. There’s nothing like it.”

The winch site opens at 8am each morning during the meet and is open until 5pm or when the book is full. Due to the limited number of people that can be taken down in a day, it is worth arriving early.

If you can’t make it to the Yorkshire Dales this week then fear not, there are plenty of other ways for beginners to explore the natural underbelly of the UK. Here are a few of them.

Alum Pot, Yorkshire

If it’s the Yorkshire Dales you have your heart set on, then there are a number of other caves you can explore year-round in the company of a guide. Of these, Alum Pot is one of the most popular. A dramatic open shaft 80m from the surface on the slopes on Ingleborough, it connects with Long Churns Cave. The Alum Pot route includes an abseil into The Dolly Tubs, a descent into The Window and a stop at The Bridge, where you will get a true sense of the scale of this waterfall-ridden cave complex.

Lost Earth Adventures offer full-day vertical caving trips from £99 per person for groups of four ( lostearthadventures.co.uk ).

Gough's Cave, Somerset

Part of  Cheddar Gorge , Gough's Cave (discovered in 1890 by Richard Cox Gough) is a prehistoric cavern with chambers containing a variety of stalactites, stalagmites and rock formations, extending some 2.1km at a depth of 90m. A carving of a mammoth and the skeleton of Cheddar Man, Britain's earliest known human remains, which date back some 7,150 years, have been found in the cave.

Entrance to Cheddar Gorge and Caves costs from £16.95 for adults and £12.70 for children when booked online. Entrance includes Gough’s Cave, Cox’s Cave, Jacob’s Ladder and more ( cheddargorge.co.uk ).

Peak Cavern, Derbyshire

Better known as ‘The Devil’s Arse’, Peak Cavern in the Peak District National Park is a gentle experience and fun day out for families. Reached along a riverside walk that takes you into a limestone gorge 85m below Peveril Castle, Peak Cavern has the largest natural cavern entrance in Britain.

Once inside the chambers, you will hear the remarkable acoustics of the Orchestra Gallery in the Great Cave (musical events are held here throughout the year), see the waterfall at Roger Rain’s House and visit the Devil’s Cellar where you will hear the source of the river Styx.

Tours of Peak Cavern last approximately one hour and are not demanding. From £5 for children and £9 for adults ( peakcavern.co.uk ). For a more adventurous experience in the Peak District, check out Giant’s Hole. Dolomite Training offer beginner courses from £89 ( dolomitetraining.co.uk ).

Fingal’s Cave, Inner Hebrides

Tucked beneath Staff Island in the Inner Hebrides, Fingal's Cave is accessible only by boat. What makes this waterbound natural 69m-high structure so fascinating are the unusual hexagonal basalt columns yet to be found in any other sea cave in the world.

The cave was the inspiration for Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture (Fingal's Cave) and Sir Walter Scott once described it as “one of the most extraordinary places I ever beheld. It exceeded, in my mind, every description I had heard of it...composed entirely of basaltic pillars as high as the roof of a cathedral, and running deep into the rock, eternally swept by a deep and swelling sea, and paved, as it were, with ruddy marble, baffles all description.”

Staffa tours offer three hour trips to Staffa including an hour ashore from £35 for adults and £17.50 for children. Visit between late-May and August to see the resident colony of puffins ( staffatours.com ).

Porth yr Ogof, Brecon Beacons

While Peak Cavern has the largest cave entrance in Britain, Porth yr Ogof has the largest in Wales. With more than 2km worth of passageways, there are plenty of route options to explore, making it a great place for both the more experienced caver and beginners. There’s even a couple of options for cave divers. The river Melte runs through the cave making this a decidedly soggy experience and challenges include the Wormhole and intriguingly named Toilet.

Adventure Britain offers caving sessions in the Brecon Beacons from two to three hours up to two days from £55 per person ( adventurebritain.com ).

Clearwell Caves, Gloucestershire

Lying beneath the Royal Forest of Dean, this natural cave system has been mined for more than 4,500 years. The show caves offer a gentle discovery of the system and include the sound chamber, skeleton pools and bat churn.

If you’re after something a little more challenging, don your hard hat and explore some of the 250 acres of passageways on a guided tour. The Deep Level Caving experience offers the chance to walk, crawl and descend through tunnels to follow natural and manmade routes that miners would have once followed.

Show caverns from £7.50 for adults and £5.50 for children. Deep Level Caving costs from £30 for adults and £25 for children over seven ( clearwellcaves.com ).

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The adventure specialists

Caving & Potholing

Discover a hidden world and spectacular cave systems beneath the surface of the Yorkshire Dales

Beneath the Yorkshire Dales are some of the finest and most spectacular cave systems in the UK! An often misunderstood sport, caving offers the chance to explore a truly stunning and unique environment of underground rivers and streams, vast quiet chambers adorned with thousands of delicate stalactites hanging from the roof, deep shafts reverberating with the sound of the waterfalls crashing down them, cascades, and walls rich in fossils. Here at Yorkshire Dales Guides, caving is our greatest passion and we would love to show you the underground world we've come to know so well through years of our own explorations in both the UK and abroad. Whether you fancy a gentle introduction to caving, or would like a more challenging adventure, we are certain we can cater for your needs! Caving is a perfect year-round activity as the temperature underground remains a constant ~8ºC.​ QUICK FACT: Many people who visit the Yorkshire Dales won't know that one of the longest cave systems in the world can be found under the hills between Kirkby Lonsdale and Ingleton. The Three Counties cave system is now well over 80km long and new sections of cave are still being found to this day. It is currently the 28th longest cave system in the world!

NEW FILM - January 2021

'the world beneath your feet'.

The wonders of what lies beneath your feet, in the incredibly beautiful caves of the Yorkshire Dales. ‍ A film made by Yorkshire Dales Guides and Hot Aches Productions.

Caving & potholing

Choose your experience:.

Our introductory level caving experience suitable for complete beginners. Join us on an amazing and awe-inspiring journey beneath the mountains!

Our intermediate level caving experience, involving a longer caving trip and some vertical work. Suitable for novices with a zest for adventure.

An intermediate level caving experience, with an emphasis on 'the vertical!' Expect several underground shafts and a more challenging (but thrilling) day out.

As the name suggests, our advanced caving trips visit some of the deeper and classic potholes of the Yorkshire Dales! Previous experience and SRT proficiency required.

Develop your skills at our purpose built indoor training facility on a 1 or 2-day Single Rope Techniques (SRT) course and learn the skills to tackle the potholes of the Dales!

Our specious SRT (vertical caving) facility and office is ideal for cave instructor training or assessment.

Learn advanced safety skills and caving techniques. Our bespoke courses are ideal for anyone wanting to get into caving more seriously and learn the skills to lead their own personal caving trips.

Our Spacious SRT (vertical caving) facility is perfect for practicing and perfecting the skills you may need underground, or on expedition.

Explore caving

Our introductory level caving experience suitable for complete beginners. You can choose whether to join an open group session (see our calendar on the home page for details of upcoming trips) or have your own privately guided trip tailored to your own wishes and abilities. All our Explore Caving sessions include stunning clean-washed streamways, waterfalls and cascades, some very simple climbs, chambers adorned with formations and fossils, and ‘optional’ crawls and squeezes for those looking for some fun and a bit of a challenge. Sessions normally last a half-day with all kit provided, or why not make a day of it and explore a different cave system in the afternoon. Classic venues include Runscar and Thistle cave at Ribblehead with their fun ‘through-trips’ (i.e. going in one entrance and exiting another), Upper and Lower Long Churn Caves near the magnificent Alum Pot, and Great Douk Cave with its half-mile long streamway and impressive entrance. ‍

Adventure caving

You may have already tried caving before and loved it, or fancy a bit more of a challenge! Our adventure caving trips are a step up from our explore caving sessions and involve a short vertical section to take the intrepid explorer deeper into the cave system, where magnificent sights await. The vertical section (known as a ‘pitch’) will be anywhere between 6m and 15m in height and be tackled with the aid of a ladder and lifeline, so no previous experience is required. Venues include the Long Churns/Alum Pot caves with its spectacular 60m deep shaft, Valley Entrance/Kingsdale Master Cave with its stunning canyon-like streamway, Sunset Hole, Calf Holes, and Bull Pot of the Witches which is part of the 80km long Three Counties System. Although classed as an intermediate level trip, these caves are suitable for novices with a reasonable level of fitness and a spirit for adventure! You may wish to choose an open group session (see our calendar on the home page for details of upcoming trips) or have your own privately guided trip tailored to your own wishes and abilities. ‍

Vertical caving

The Yorkshire Dales is without doubt the finest region for vertical caving (potholing) in the UK! To undertake one of these very special caving trips you will need to have a good level of fitness and ideally have tried caving before. The session will last for much of the day, and include two or more vertical sections to negotiate on ladder and lifeline to delve deeper into the cave system. Venues include Sell Gill Holes with its three pitches leading to a spectacular chamber, New Goyden Pot with its two pitches leading into a beautiful huge underground river, Alum Pot to the ‘Bridge’ and Heron Pot where a canyon like through trip descent can be achieved (weather conditions allowing). ‍

Advanced caving

The Yorkshire Dales is without doubt the finest region for vertical caving (potholing) in the UK! Our advanced caving sessions are for those with previous experience of caving, and who are proficient in Single Rope Techniques (SRT). You may have a cave on your list you’ve been wanting to visit for ages but not have the equipment or confidence to tackle, or you might just be visiting the area and want to experience the very best potholes the Yorkshire Dales has to offer. Classic venues include the famous Gaping Gill, Meregill Hole, Juniper Gulf, Marble Steps Pot and so, so many more!!! In fact, the Yorkshire Dales has over 50 potholes deeper than 100 m depth! Yorkshire Dales Guides have our very own SRT vertical caving training facility – a great place to refresh those skills before heading underground. We also run 1 or 2-day courses for anyone wishing to learn SRT so that they can progress towards tackling some of Yorkshire’s (and elsewhere) finest cave systems. Please note that anyone participating in an advanced caving trip will be required to demonstrate SRT ability at our facility before heading underground . ‍

Single rope technique (SRT) Training area

Develop your skills at our purpose built indoor training facility, or join us on a 1-day or 2-day course to learn SRT and take your new found skills underground on the second day to one of the classic potholes of the Yorkshire Dales!! Check out our 'vertical caving training facility page' for more info! ‍

Cave instructor training & assessment

Looking to complete a course, or need a venue to practice skills for your upcoming LCMLA or CIC (module 2 and 3 assessments)? Then come on down to our spacious SRT training facility (see vertical caving training facility page). Within the facility, there is an array of ropes, platforms, traverses (both high and low-level) and anchor points for your own rigging, all contained within a very spacious 15m x 10m x 6-8m high area which is perfect for group work. Upstairs, there is also an office with comfortable seating, white boards and projectors, which is also available for use. Get in touch for more info! ‍

Cave safety courses

Our cave safety courses are designed for anyone who wants to ‘really get into’ caving, beyond the standard introductory and intermediate level guided caving trips we offer. It really is a fascinating sport taking you into a beautiful and highly unique environment. No caver forgets the first time they explored and splashed their way down their first underground streamway, or turned that corner and found themselves in a large, quiet chamber surrounded by thousands of glistening and delicate stalactites hanging from the roof, or started abseiling down their first pitch (vertical shaft) with a waterfall crashing down beside them. Whether you’ve already tried caving and want to start doing more easy horizontal caving trips with friends, or are a more experienced caver who wants to learn the skills to take on more serious vertical potholes, we are positive we can cater for your needs. Our office and vertical caving training facility means we have the perfect premises to teach you all the skills you need to know, from researching and planning your caving trip, to the safety aspects of clothing/equipment/callouts and weather, to the skills required for moving underground safely and efficiently, and knowing what to do if things go wrong. Get in touch for a chat and will happily put together a single or multi-day course for you based on your wishes and requirements! ‍

Rigging for rescue

Looking to complete a course, or need a venue to practice skills for your upcoming LCMLA or CIC (module 2 and 3 assessments)? Then come on down to our spacious SRT training facility (see vertical caving training facility page). The facility is also perfect for groups about to go on expedition who need to make sure their rescue skills are up-to-date in a safe environment. Within the facility, there is an array of ropes, platforms, traverses (both high and low-level) and anchor points for your own rigging, all contained within a very spacious 15m x 10m x 6-8m high area which is perfect for group work. Upstairs, there is also an office with comfortable seating, white boards and projectors, which is also available for use. Get in touch for more info! ‍

What to expect

Most of our caving trips begin at our premises just outside of Settle, where you will meet your instructor for a briefing, before kitting up in the required equipment (see below) ready for your caving trip. You will get kitted out in our specially designed cavers briefing area complete with 4 changing rooms for privacy. For the intermediate level caving trips which involve some vertical work, we will then move into our vertical caving training facility for a quick practice at ladder climbing and traverses before heading to the caves. You will then follow the instructor in your own vehicles to the parking location for the caves, which is normally around a 15-30 mins drive depending on the venue chosen for the day. There is often a short but easy walk to the caves of around 15-25 mins (longer for some advanced caving trips), and you can expect to be underground for anywhere between 1.5 and 4 hrs depending on level of caving experience chosen, weather, and fitness and ability of the group. Some advanced caving trips may take a full day. After the caving trip, we’ll then head back to the cars and you then have the choice of changing and departing from the parking location, or coming back to our premises to change in comfort and privacy first before departing. Our premises are also a safe place to leave any possessions for the duration of the caving trip if you wish, as opposed to in your cars. Equipment A kit list of what to bring will be sent out to all participants ahead of the caving trip, which normally includes a set of old clothes, towel, spare clothing for after the trip and some snacks/a drink. For your caving trip, you will be kitted out in: Caving oversuit – Similar to a boiler suit, but much more hardwearing. You will wear this over your old clothes. Helmet and light Safety belt Wellies – wellies are provided, but you may wish to bring your own instead to use (subject to them being deemed appropriate by YDG staff) Harness and cowstails (for vertical caving trips only) Pre-requisites All participants are expected to have a reasonable level of fitness, and will be required to complete a medical form prior to the caving trip. Please get in touch and we would be delighted to discuss our caving experiences with you in more detail including suitability for a particular trip.

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Somerset Adventures

Discover the excitement and adventure of exploring some of the natural cave systems in the Mendips and Devon. Under the expert leadership of your Somerset Adventures instructor you will walk, crawl and scramble around one of the classic caves of the region. Bring your family for a day out with a difference. Caving is a great adventure for all types of groups and individuals. You may even discover the hobby of a lifetime!

Here are some of the caves that we visit regularly, but we also have lots more to choose from so there is always something new when you come again!

Swildon’s Hole is in Priddy on the Mendips, near Cheddar. This cave offers both wet and dry passages and some fine formations to admire. Follow the stream as it carves its way underground through the cave and admire the natural beauty of the rock sculpted by water over millions of years.

Caving experience

A bespoke guided caving adventure just for you and your group.

Your instructor will lead you round one or more of the best caves in the region, on the Mendips or in Devon. Enjoy the adventure and sense of exploration, and marvel at the rock formations and decorations formed over tens of thousands of years. All equipment is included.   Cost: 1 cave: from £35 per person  2 caves: from £60 per person  Swildons sump 1 trip: from £60 per person Caving and climbing adventure day: from £60 per person

Discounts available for large groups – please enquire. Fantastic discounted rates available for schools and youth groups.

Dates: we are open every day all year round. 

Contact us to discuss your requirements and arrange a date for your caving adventure or

Book now with an online availability enquiry

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15 Best Caves to Visit in the UK

March 31, 2023

I was born in the UK, and I’ve spent much of my life in and around the region.

Famous for hikes , hills, meadows, coastlines , fields, and farms, there’s plenty of exciting stuff to explore in the area.

And that includes the murky depths of some cavernous caves… with plenty of them dotted around all four nations of the region.

So in this guide, I’ve brought you the 15 best caves to visit in the UK . Bring your headlamp and come join the fun!

1. Cheddar Gorge Caves – England

2. smoo cave – scotland, 3. llechwedd slate caverns – wales, 4. marble arch caves – northern ireland, 5. peak cavern – england, 6. merlin’s cave – england, 7. white scar cave – england, 8. chislehurst caves – england, 9. kent’s cavern – england, 10. clearwell caves – england, 11. fingal’s cave – scotland, 12. the bone caves – scotland, 13. national showcaves center – wales, 14. st. cuthbert’s cave – england, 15. marsden grotto – england, frequently asked questions about caves in the uk, before you go, best caves in the uk.

The biggest gorge in England, limestone ravine Cheddar Gorge is a whole load of different stuff, and it’s packed with endless outdoor activities for people of all ages.

But because you’re reading this list, you’re probably most interested in the area’s two caves, which are both super interesting.

Gough’s Cave is more than half a million years old and is brimming with otherworldly formations and strange ancient meeting rooms. Cox’s Cave features a multimedia experience of videos, sounds, and flashing lights, and tells the compelling story of prehistoric man.

The cave-y complex also offers hiking, rock climbing, gorge climbing, viewpoints, adventure caving , and plenty more.

Sitting in the south of England, this place is close to both Bristol and Bath… so it’s a great day-trip option from both of those cities. If you’re traveling with kids or you’re looking for lots of activities, this is absolutely one of the best caves to visit in the UK.

• Opening Hours: 10 am until 5 pm, 7 days a week (except on some public holidays)
• Family-Friendly? Yep. Because all activities are supervised and safe, there are lots of kid-friendly precautions. Some parts of the complex have an age limit
• Recommended Tours? This excellent tour takes you to Cheddar Gorge from London (and partially includes some cave exploration, for an extra fee)

One of my favorite caves to visit in the UK, this remote little beauty is in the far north of Scotland.

A dark and dramatic sea cliff complex, Smoo Cave lies just beyond the pretty little village of Durness. It has a massive mouth and contains a 25-meter (82-feet) waterfall. You can access the main mouth of the cave on a relatively short walk .

But it’s best to see Smoo Cave on a tour. On these tours, you learn about the geography and geology of the place… but most importantly (and most fun!), you ride in a little boat to an interesting alternative access point.

Tour times vary according to weather conditions, so you typically can’t book in advance—and no tours run at all between the 1st of November and the 31st of March.

A visit to Smoo Cave is a great little side trip if you’re riding around the loops and lanes of the North Coast 500 road trip (which you absolutely should!)

• Opening Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Family-Friendly? Yes, but it can get very slippy—so wear good shoes, and make sure your kids are being sensible and safe
• Recommended Tour? This one takes you to the cave and around the NC500 highlights, while these local tours take you to just the cave

If you’re traveling with kids, they’ll absolutely love this place.

Winner of the allegedly prestigious ‘North Wales Tourism Attraction of the Year 2019/2020,’ the Llechwedd Slate Caverns are located in the northern part of Snowdonia National Park.

An ancient rock quarry sitting deep under the region’s mountains, these slate caverns were first plundered for resources back in the 1st century AD. Since then, they’ve been an important part of the region… and now they’re an important tourist site.

Packed into the cavernous confines of the area, you get cave tours, truck rides, quarry visits, mountain summits, zip lines, Europe’s steepest cable railway, and lots of insights into the history and heritage of the area.

If you have more time in and around Llechwedd Slate Caverns, I totally recommend exploring Snowdonia National Park—full of peaks, passes, and panoramas, it’s one of the most beautiful places in the UK.

• Opening Hours: 9 am until 5 pm, 7 days a week
• Family-Friendly? Yes—all tours and experiences are great for kids. But some sections have age limits, and timid kids might find some of the experiences quite scary

Our first (and last) Northern Irish entry, the Marble Arch Caves are a fantastic collection of UNESCO-listed underground caverns… and they form one of the most exciting entries on our list.

There are various experiences on offer here—but the most exciting is Martel’s Cave Tour , which offers a juicy combo of walking and boat-tripping. On this tour, you ride along an underground river, clamber through hidden passages, and see lots of cool formations. These experiences last around 75 minutes, and they’re some of the most immersive cave tours the UK has to offer.

When you’re done with all the caves, the complex also offers hikes, wildlife, and some great kid-friendly adventures and activities —and the surrounding area is packed with lakes, walks, and lots of outdoor adventures.

Important Note

The Marble Arch caves are only open from March until September

• Opening Hours: 10 am until 5 pm, 7 days a week (but it’s only open from March until September)
• Family-Friendly? Yeah, this place is great for kids—and because all tours are organized, it’s super safe

Home to the biggest cave entrance in Britain, The Peak Cavern is unique and unusual in lots of ways.

Sitting in Derbyshire, the cavern is part of the biggest cave system in the Peak District… and people still lived in these caves up until around 1915.

On a tour, you’ll learn about the cave, the cave system, the people who lived here, their rope-making exploits (yep, seriously), and loads of other stuff. Make sure you also take a boat trip to Speedwell Cavern, a flooded subterranean lead mine that’s part of the same system.

Because it has such a large mouth, the front of Peak Cavern is a pretty accessible place… and it, therefore, offers lots of cool events. Live music performances have been held here by Jarvis Cocker, The Vaccines, and loads of other big names—and they also host tribute bands, cinema screenings, and festive Christmas Carols.

• Opening Hours: 10 am until 5 pm, 7 days a week (but in colder months, it’s often closed on certain days… so double-check if you’re visiting between November and March)
• Family-Friendly? Yes, the caves and tours are very safe and child-friendly

Located in the tourist haven of Cornwall, this is one of the most popular and well-known caves in the UK.

Sitting right beneath the lofty heights of Tintagel Castle, the lengthy cave measures at around 100 meters (330 feet). It forms a complete tunnel, so you can walk right from one end to the other (if you have a flashlight).

Named after the second-most famous wizard of all time (after Harry Potter), Merlin allegedly lived in this cave. And he would spend his time here learning how to cast spells or grow his beard, or whatever.

You can access the place by paying to enter Tintagel Castle. But if you’re only interested in the cave (and not the fortress above it), you can get in for free—if you’re here during low tide (and you should only come during low tide), you can wander in from the gaping hole on the beach.

• Opening Hours: Open 24/7 (it’s just a natural cave)
• Family-Friendly? Absolutely—but it’s dark, and has slippy sections… and make sure you don’t wind up stuck in the cave during high tide
• Recommended Tour? This fantastic 2-day tour takes you from Cornwall to Merlin’s Cave (and lots of other excellent places)

The longest show cave in England (‘show cave’ is just a fancy name for a public cave that’s easy to visit), White Scar Cave lurks on the southwestern tip of Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Measuring in at a massively impressive 6km (around 4 miles), the place (of course) offers the longest cave tours in Britain, and it’s brimming with impressive stuff.

On the 80-minute tour, you’ll walk for approximately 1.5 km (1 mile)… stumbling across a massive thunderous waterfall, lots of creepy and kooky rock formations, the so-called ‘squeeze’ (a narrow shuffle-through hole), and lots of strange sights and sounds. It’s a really impressive tour, and popular with people of all ages.

You can’t enter without a tour… but given the length and detail, these excellent experiences are surprisingly affordable.

If you’re looking for more adventures when you’re done, head to the nearby Ingleton Waterfalls Trail.

• Opening Hours: Between February and October, it’s open from 10 am until 5 pm, 7 days a week. During other months, it’s open during the same hours, but only on weekends and during school holidays
• Family-Friendly? Yes, though you should warn your kids that some sections of the tour are dark, dingy, and a little claustrophobic

Sitting on the outskirts of London, this place is different from most other caves we’ve featured on our list—and it’s an excellently-accessible option for people who don’t have much time to enjoy remote adventures.

A collection of intertwining man-made tunnels, Chislehurst’s ‘caves’ aren’t really caves at all.

But they’re still super interesting. Carved out for hundreds of years (probably between the 13th and 19th centuries), these big boys measure in at around 35km (22 miles) in total, and they have a very storied history.

They were first used as chalk mines and flint mines… but that’s just the beginning. The labyrinthine network has also been used for growing mushrooms, storing ammunition, filming TV shows, hosting concerts, and as a WW2 air raid shelter.

… and now, of course, it’s a tourist attraction. On a 45-minute lamp-lit tour, you’ll see murals, mannequins, carvings, and a whole variety of strange stuff.

• Opening Hours: Open from 10 am until 5 pm, but only Wednesday to Sunday (though it’s also open on most public holidays, and during any school holidays)
• Family-Friendly? Yes, although it’s a little creepy and claustrophobic (with some pretty strange mannequins)

Located very close to Torquay, Kent’s Cavern is situated along one of the prettiest parts of England’s coastline (so it’s surrounded by lots of great stuff).

A prehistoric cave system that once housed a big bunch of ancient humans (and lots of Ice Age animals) the place is billed as “Britain’s oldest home”.

On tours here, there’s a big focus on all the prehistoric stuff, including tools, bones, teeth, and lots of 400,000,000-year-old rocks. There’s also a spooky blackout section and lots of ancient (and interesting!) rock formations.

But aside from all that stuff, the cave complex also hosts other family-friendly adventures and activities. Highlights include woodland trails (with shelter-building, code-cracking, model animals, and real animals), and an interesting ‘ Stone Age Zone ’ (with lots of exhibits on the people and creatures who once lived in the area).

• Opening Hours: Open year-round, 7 days a week, 10 am until 4:30 pm
• Family-Friendly? Yes, there’s lots of kid-friendly stuff on offer

Sitting underneath the dense and diverse Forest of Dean, and very close to the England-Wales border, the Clearwell Cave complex offers some of the best caves to visit in the UK.

In the maze-like complex of ancient bat-ridden caves, you get 9 different caverns, a frozen waterfall, a ‘skeleton pool,’ and information on the miners who’ve worked here (and still do!) over the past 4,500 years.

If you’re on the hunt for lengthy and adventurous tours, this place offers the best you’ll get. Amongst other activities, they offer intense three-hour experiences where you go deep underground, reaching depths of 200ft (62 meters).

The complex is also home to interesting events and exhibitions, including stuff related to modern art, Dr. Who, live music, and the big-eared bats that live here.

When you’re done in Clearwell Caves, you have loads more kid-friendly attractions in the area. Highlights include Perrygrove Railway and activity-packed Puzzlewood .

• Opening Hours: Dependent on the time of year, and the tour you want… so always check in advance
• Family Friendly? Yes, although some activities have age limits—and some of these experiences get very dark and dingy

The most remote entry on our list by a long way, Fingal’s Cave is a mysterious and little-visited place. If you’re looking for something really unusual, this is the best cave to visit in the UK.

Off the west coast of Scotland (close to Oban), you have the Isle of Mull. West of the Isle of Mull, you have a tiny uninhabited island called Staffa.

And at the southern tip of the island of Staffa, you have the unique and otherworldly Fingal’s Cave. Surreal and strange, you’ve probably never seen anything like this place. I know I definitely haven’t.

If you come here during summer, it’s one of the best puffin-spotting sites in the UK.

But it’s also famous for the strange sounds it creates. Because of the cave’s arched roof, the place amplifies, echoes, and adapts the noises of the waves that crash against it. Harmonious and haunting, this soundscape is like something you might hear in a cathedral.

• Opening Hours: It never closes… but unless you have your own boat, you need to take a tour ( the tours from Oban are the easiest to access )
• Family-Friendly? Yes, but only if your kids aren’t scared of boat trips
• Recommended Tour? This incredible 4-day tour starts and ends in Edinburgh, and inexplicably crams loads of Scotland’s highlights into a pretty short time. Fingal’s Cave (of course) is one of the stops along the way

The last Scottish entry on our list, the ominously-titled Bone Caves are a little different from most other places we’ve featured on this list. While most of the rest are mega-popular tourist sites, this is a tucked-away cavern in the middle of nowhere.

If you’re looking for a remote and rural adventure, this is one of the best caves to visit in the UK. Sitting north of Ullapool, in the far west of Scotland, the Bone Caves are hidden up the heights of some limestone cliffs.

They’re most famous as the site of a very important discovery. A century ago, two men were wandering around this cave when they found lots and lots of bones, including remains of wolves, lynxes, Arctic foxes, brown bears, and even a Polar bear. These bones provided proof that all these animals once lived in the region.

You can only visit the caves on a hike, via this excellent but easy stroll .

• Opening Hours: 24/7 (it’s just a natural cave)
• Family-Friendly? Yes, although you need to walk to get here—so it’s not suitable for small kids (or lazy kids)
• Recommended Tour? This tour of the northwest Highlands takes you to the caves and lots of other excellent places

The fantastic National Showcaves Center of Wales isn’t just one cave. Instead, it’s a bunch of different caverns, all sitting in a massive complex measuring in at around 10.5 miles (17km).

Three of them are open for visits. Between them, they offer strange formations, tiny tunnels, unusual waterfalls, human skeletons, ancient relics, and a whole load of interesting history.

One of the top attractions in the entire nation, the center also offers a museum, an Iron Age farm, fossils, shire horses, playgrounds, stone circles, mannequins, and over 200 life-sized dinosaur sculptures. And for serious cavers, they offer some pretty profound subterranean experiences.

For lots of excitement and adventures (and endless kid-friendly fun), the National Showcaves Center of Wales houses some of the best caves to visit in the UK.

• Opening Hours: Specific opening times depend upon the time of year, and the particular experiences you want to explore—so always check in advance
• Family-Friendly? Yes, this place is fantastic for kids of all ages

St. Cuthbert’s Cave is in Northumberland , pretty close to where I was born. So it’s mainly on this list because I’m very biased and I have no reasonable sense of perspective.

This one doesn’t look particularly special, but it has an interesting history, and it lies along one of my favorite long-distance walks. One of the most famous sites along the multi-day St. Cuthbert’s Way , this cave is surrounded by pretty fields, distant peaks, and a whole load of remote rurality.

It’s named after St. Cuthbert (which you probably had the mental dexterity to work out for yourself) , a significant Anglo-Saxon Saint from the 7th century.

After he died, a bunch of monks carried his corpse across the country. During their travels, one story has it that they briefly stopped here with his body, because he once lived in the cave.

There’s not a whole load to do here, but it’s a serene place to walk, wander, and munch on a picnic.

• Family-Friendly? Yes—your kids will enjoy the small climbs and the gentle walks

Also close to where I’m from, it’s another biased entry from a very biased man.

Even if I wasn’t hugely prejudiced, Marsden Grotto is great—it’s really unique and unusual, and it’s different from pretty much every other entry on this list.

While all the other places we’ve featured are adventure spots, this is… a restaurant and hotel! Look for yourself !

But it’s not as banal as it sounds. Built into the side of a seacliff, the inside of this place looks like a weird medieval banquet hall, and it’s accessible via the kooky confines of a strange elevator.

And it has an interesting history… the place was blasted into the rocks because an 18th-century couple wanted to create their own rent-free home. Eventually, it then became a smuggling spot, an inn, and a den of criminals.

When you’re done eating and drinking, have a wander along the cliffs here. This is one of the prettiest areas of the northeast coast.

• Opening Hours: 10 am until 10 pm, 7 days a week
• Family-Friendly? Yes, but it’s a bit boring for younger kids (although, admittedly, it’s much more exciting than a standard restaurant)

How many caves are in the UK?

According to the UK Caves Database site, there are around 150 caves that measure in at least 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) log or at least 60 meters (197 feet) deep.

But sadly, that’s an impossible question to answer precisely.

Some UK caves are untouched, others are probably undiscovered, and many sources vary widely in their response to this question.

Also, what is and isn’t a ‘cave’ isn’t exactly clear. When does a hole in a rock become a cave? How big can a hole in a rock be before it becomes a cave? And how many more hypothetical questions can I squeeze out of this tricky dilemma?

Even the UK caves database site doesn’t really know how many caves there are in the UK. So that’s about the best information I can give you, without trawling around the UK for decades in a hardhat. Sorry.

What is the deepest cave in the UK?

The deepest cave in the UK is the strangely-titled Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (which, as you probably guessed from the name, is Welsh) . It has a massively impressive depth of 274.5 meters (901 feet), and it contains approximately 50km (31 miles) of paths and passageways.

Because of that hefty length, it’s also the second-longest cave in Wales.

Its name translates to ‘cave of the black spring,’ and it sits in south Wales (inside the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park).

It was discovered in 1946… and in 2021, it was the site of one of the longest cave rescues ever undertaken in the UK ( source ). Spooky.

What is the biggest cave in the UK?

That depends upon what exactly you mean by biggest.

As we’ve already covered, the deepest cave in the UK is Ogof Ffynnon Ddu. Again, it measures 274.5 meters (901 feet), and contains approximately 50km (31 miles) of passageways.

The UK’s longest cave system is the Three Counties System, which sits in the valley-packed funfest of the Yorkshire Dales. It has a massive 86.7 km (53.9 mi) of passageways, and it’s made up of several different systems, all connected to one another.

The longest show cave in the UK is White Scar Cave, which we’ve featured on this list. Also in Yorkshire Dales National Park, it has a length of around 6km (4 miles).

The biggest natural hole in the UK is Hull Pot, a collapsed cavern that’s basically a big ol’ hole in the ground. It’s 300 feet (91 meters) long, 60 feet (18 meters) wide, and 60 feet (18 meters) deep. Again, it’s in Yorkshire Dales National Park!

Are there any unexplored caves in the UK?

Yes, there are a huge number of unexplored caves in the UK.

And because lots of caves are underground, there’s a good chance that many of the UK’s caves haven’t even yet been discovered.

In this article , UK caving expert Andy Sewell estimates that around 60 miles (96km) of known UK caves remain unexplored… and many more are probably completely undiscovered.

Because caves are (of course) underground, it’s impossible to know how many there may be… and some may remain unexplored (and undiscovered) forever.

So who knows who many unexplored caves there might be in the UK? I certainly don’t. And neither does Google, apparently.

And after all that scrambling and spelunking, we’ve crawled and clambered our way to the end of our guide on the 15 best caves to visit in the UK.

For more UK-based natural beauties and adventures, check out our guides to the 10 biggest forests in the UK , the 15 best botanical gardens in the UK , standing stones in the region , and the top 19 reasons to visit the area .

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you again soon!

About the author

Senior Travel Reporter

Paul is a handsome and hilarious travel writer and travel journalist from the UK. He's hiked, hitchhiked and laughed his way through more than fifty countries, and he's always looking for a new place to call home. Originally from Newcastle, he's lived all over the UK, spent more than three years in Asia, and most recently lived in Vietnam and then in Georgia.

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Caving for Beginners

Descending into darkness, caving in yorkshire.

We sat down with relative Lost Earth Adventures newbie, Glenn, who took us through his recent caving experience. We discuss caving for beginners, Goyden Pot, and the descent into darkness.

What is the Difference Between Caving, Pot-Holing and Spelunking?

First-things-first, what are we actually doing? These words all seem very different, but are they?

The word Pothole comes from Scandinavian origin and has similar meaning to a pit. It generally refers to a circular/cylindrical shaft in the ground or a bump in the road that can annoy motorists! Generally most Pots are abseiled into due to their shape, but this rule is not hard and fast. Goyden Pot for example can be walked into and does not have a cylindrical shaft like appearance. Goyden Pot can also be abseiled into by a tight rift or into lower sections once the pot has been entered via a large horizontal, circular tube known as a phreatic passage. Some people refer to potholing as a vertical endeavour, but at Lost Earth Adventures we believe all cave trips to be potholing trips and all potholes to be caves. We also think that all potholing and caving trips are spelunking trips, as that’s what our friends from North America call it. Phew, I’m glad we’ve got that out the way!

Caving for beginners: A first-hand account

How did you find your first caving experience Glenn? It was a definite eye-opener. You have this idea in your head that caving will be all about squeezing through tight crevices and feeling claustrophobic and trapped, but it’s not the case.

Let’s rewind. How did you enter the cave?

The water is crystal clear, too. We clamber over huge boulders as darkness shrouds us. The first thing I notice is how clean everything looks.

I had visions of overgrown moss everywhere and slippery rocks and watery mud baths. But down here, no moss grows. Craig, our guide, eagerly explains the cave’s geological past with such enthusiasm, but it never feels forced or uninteresting. There’s a great balance to it all.

After a moment or two, our group were all working together to help each other down higher descents, showing each other where to place our feet. I think the exhilaration of exploring something so secret is what motivated us all the most.

How do you mean, secret?

It feels like the last true wilderness. You don’t have your phone or any other distractions. It’s you and your friends, working together in this place. It felt quite liberating.

You went caving after some bad weather, right? That’s right. Craig told us that parts of the cave may be unpassable and we’d use another cave if so. At one point, he stopped the group at a crossroads with two possible paths. ‘Which way do you think we go from here?’ Craig asked us. We guessed which way, but we were all wrong. It wasn’t left or right but straight down! He was perched over a tight crevice in the ground with a tree branch wedged within. None of us could believe it!

Incredible! And did you go down it? Because of weather the previous few days, we took a route that was safe from flooding. That’s what surprised me, I guess. How many possible routes you could take. Craig asked us beforehand if we were all comfortable with tight spaces, water and getting on our hands and knees. Where we went in the cave depended on what we were comfortable with, which is perfect.

Anyway, the passage we took narrowed and we had to crouch, climb down huge boulders before the passageway opened up to a gigantic chamber. For me, this was unbelievable and so unexpected.

A big chamber in the cave?

It was hard for me to get a shot of the chamber without it simply looking like blackness, but our group were genuinely staggered. You don’t expect to see that in a cave.

And again, I was so surprised by how accessible vertical caving was, even as beginners.

Would you go caving again? Absolutely. Without question! If you haven’t tried caving before, you must. I’ve already got another caving trip planned in the months ahead.

Do you have any advice for beginner cavers? For people like me who didn’t really know what it caving was like, I’d say: don’t be tricked into thinking it’s all about tight spaces, water and battling claustrophobia. Those extreme caves are there if you want them but it’s your day, so you tell the instructor what you want to experience and they’ll deliver. It’s magical!

Caving with Lost Earth Adventures

You decide whether you want to cave for half a day or a full day, or whether you want caving for beginners or an extreme caving experience.

You decide whether to add ropes, ladders and harnesses into the mix in vertical caving. The choice is yours.

How Much Does Caving Cost?

Our caving sessions start from £49 per person in our Open Group sessions. Private sessions and Vertical Caving depend on group sizes. All prices include equipment and excellent client to staff ratios.

Where to Go Caving

The UK is one to some truly epic caves. Our two primary locations are the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales, arguably the best places to go caving in the UK. Our locations are suited for caving beginners to very experienced cavers. You can browse all caving locations on our website, see our caving and potholing courses , or contact us if you have more questions.

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CORNWALL UNDERGROUND

The ultimate cornish mining experience, explore cornwall's mines.

Cornwall Underground Adventures is offering adventurous caving trips in Cornwall's abandoned tin mines. Are you looking for interesting and exciting things to do in Cornwall? Then why not combine Cornwall's mining heritage with an exciting adventure underground? You can now experience the thrill of mine exploring with our experienced guides. Go below the surface and discover the subterranean world carved out by the Cornish miners over hundreds of years. The miners have long since vanished, but their legacy is a world beneath your feet, waiting to be discovered.

We are based in west Cornwall and all of our activities currently take place near the old mining district of St. Just. We are within easy reach of St. Ives, Penzance and Sennen Cove, and not too far from other popular tourist resorts, such as Newquay, Falmouth and the Lizard Peninsula. We offer something for everyone, and our underground activities are perfect choice, come rain or shine.

Our mine adventures range from easy walk-in, walk-out trips, to full-blown caving-style trips. Explore the complex systems of tunnels that make up a Cornish mine. Marvel at how the miners shaped these places, and gaze in wonder at the features of this hidden world. Those seeking a thrill can try abseiling down mine shafts, crossing gaping chasms and flooded passages, underground via-ferrata, mine climbing and more!

Our surface tours are perfect for those interested in the history of Cornish mining but don’t want to venture underground. Evidence of Cornwall’s mining past is an integral part of the county’s landscape. The old engine houses are one of Cornwall's most iconic features. Famous landmarks include the Crown Mines at Botallack, Wheal Coates at St. Agnes, as well as several mining museums, such as Levant Mine and Beam Engine and Poldark Mine. The vast sites of Geevor tin mine and South Crofty, the last mine to close in Cornwall, still loom over the landscape.

But almost every cliff, cove and carn has a hidden mining history, not always visible to the untrained eye. Our expert mine historians take you on a guided walk around an area rich with mining archaeology. Be amazed as these open-air mining museums bring the story of Cornish mining to life. Learn facts, history, and tales of adventure and tragedy that would have been the envy of Ross Poldark!

Looking for something new and exciting to do in Cornwall?

Book online, our cornish mine tours.

OUR ACTIVITIES

UNDERGROUND EXPLORER

Our Underground Explorer  is a trip into a tin mine where you can access the mine via some ladders and scrambling, allowing us to explore various parts of the mine. The trip includes an optional abseil.

UNDERGROUND ADVENTURER

The Underground Adventurer is a through-trip journeying through a maze of tunnels before emerging into daylight once more. This covers the gambit of adrenalin-filled adventure underground, including using ropes to traverse gaping chasms and flooded passages, abseil down mine shafts, underground via-ferrata, mine climbing and more!

UNDERGROUND ADVENTURER EXTREME

The Underground Adventurer Extreme   is surely one of Cornwall's most challenging adventure experiences. A full day underground, exploring two adjacent mines. Visit these remote underground spaces that are normally only accessible by experienced cavers and mine explorers. This trip features lots of abseiling, crossing chasms and mine shafts, as well as climbing the walls of the mine, and even caving ladders.

What people say?

"We were blown away by the excitement of this raw experience." Ed K.

"The whole experience was unexpectedly challenging but great fun" Lidia I.

"Definitely not your average mine tour!" Imogen S.

"This is a completely unique experience in the South West and we highly recommend it." Yasmin and Nigel

SEE THE LATEST FROM OUR MINE EXPLORATION BLOG

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Affiliate disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Tarquin's collective caving site

Yes it is dark down there. That's why I have a light.

Descriptions and surveys

• Ogof Draenen
• Description
• Geological information
• Ogof Tarddiad Rhymni (Rhymney)
• Gouffre Berger flooding documentation
• Other (minor) caves

General caving information

• Database of longest and deepest caves in UK and Ireland with many overviews
• UK and World record cave statistics
• Caves in the Abergavenny area of South Wales includes maps with caves shown
• Info on how to call out cave rescue
• Cave surveying and B.C.R.A. survey grades
• Using SexyTopo to survey caves
• Location fixing for cave surveys
• Vertical caving terminology and methods

Caving galleries

• Tarquin's and Chris' galleries
• The awesome Speleoclub Avalon galleries
• Andrew Whitney's Yorkshire galleries
• Peak District Caving Northern galleries

Personal caving

• Author's Caving Trips
• My caving biography (online book) - Ten Years In The Dark
• Externally hosted trip reports
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Opening times, guided tours.

— Location overview

In the beautiful Peak District National Park

Set at the foot of the spectacular Winnats Pass, high above the village of Castleton , Speedwell Cavern takes you on an incredible underground boat journey.

— What to do

Decide what do you want to do in Castleton

After your journey into the depths of the cavern, visit our gift shop and bring home a piece of the eerie splendor you experienced.

Visit Castleton

Visiting Castleton village offers a unique opportunity to explore the beauty of the Peak District, including stunning views, picturesque walking trails, and fascinating historical landmarks.

Peak Cavern

Deep in the gorge below Peveril Castle is Peak Cavern's imposing entrance chamber - the largest natural cave entrance in the British Isles

— Key Facts

A few Facts about Speedwell Cavern

Historic lead mine. Mining started in 1771 and continued on and off for about 20 years, by which time visitors were being taken round by boat (whilst work was still in progress).

Original entrance is a vertical shaft 28m deep, top marked by flagpole on car park.

Remains of blast holes in walls and ceiling 20-25cm long. 2 Miners drilled holes, one of them holding and rotating a drill, while the other hit it with a 6Kg sledge-hammer. Each hole took 2 hours to drill and 15 to 20 holes were needed for each blast. They were filled with black gun-powder, sealed with a clay bung and a straw fuse was used to fire the charges.

Progress was around 1.9m a week (a fathom). The passage took around 4 and a half years to complete.

The original steps were completed by 1778.

Passageway was driven in southerly direction to intersect several east-west running veins of lead whose existence was known about from surface outcrops.

According to old records £14.000 was spent on the whole concern. The returns are said to have been about £3.000. Hardly a financial success!

1st vein of lead, “Little Winster” vein 1 m high 60 cm wide 37m long, probably yielding less than £100 worth of lead.

The “Half Way House”, extends 50m horizontally to the bottom of a 36m vertical shaft leading into a vast chamber almost 100m higher than level of the passageway. Miners had been there 240 years ago, although it unclear which way they got in.

The “Bellows Hole” is where a small boy would work all day pumping on a pair of blacksmiths bellows circulating the air.

2nd vein of lead “The Longcliff” vein. Richest vein of lead yielding the majority of the £3000 worth of lead. Extends for half a mile to the east and quarter of a mile the west. Sealed off now as the workings were in a dangerous state.

Safety hole, as miners went further into the rock there was a need for a safety hole as work become more and more dangerous for shot-blaster.

3rd and last vein of lead, “Poormans vein”, only yielded 3Kg of lead, used as a more adequate safety hole.

The “Bottomless Pit” Cavern is formed on “Foreside” or “Faucet” vein. The top of the chamber is some 50m above the platform, which is about 200m underground. One of the deepest caverns on British Isles. Behind boulders on top of ladders a passageway extends for 20m to the foot of a run-in shaft. It is unknown where it leads to and whether the miners knew about the existence of cavern before they broke into it.

The “Far Canal” extends for 250m in man-made form, then leads into a vast network of underground stream caverns and passageways, which are in total more than 13 miles long and even connect through to Peak Cavern, underneath Peveril Castle.

Miners used the “Bottomless Pit”, a large subterranean lake with a 250 square meter surface area, to dump about 2,500 tons of waste rock from the Far Canal. The lake is 30m below platform in normal conditions and used to be an estimated 60m deep. It is now only 11m deep because of the fill from the waste rock.

Before miners dropped waste rock in the Bottomless Pit the cavern used to be an estimated 150m high.

Water from the Bottomless Pit flows out of the “Russett Well”, a resurgence at the mouth of Peak Cavern Gorge in Castleton, which has never run dry in 450 years of recorded history.

speedwell_cavern

Going underground

Fancy an otherworldly experience? The ground beneath our feet hides a multitude of jaw-dropping sites and an underground tour can reveal so much about England’s history and the formation of the English landscape. There are miles of caves to explore, boasting awe-inspiring stalagmites and stalactites.

Take a sewer tour – yes, really – to gawp at the subterranean architecture and marvel at Victorian ingenuity. For a less aromatic experience, disused coal mines now offer the chance to descend 140m underground on a mine tour to confront the vivid realities faced by the men, women and children who have toiled in them through the ages. These are hidden gems indeed.

21 Experience Results

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Underground & over ground adventures at Go Ape

Release your Tarzan and journey to the centre of the earth on an epic double adventure in Derbyshire’s beautiful Buxton.

Location: Buxton, Derbyshire

Rainy Day Activities: Embark on an expedition into Cheddar Gorge

This ultimate indoor activity will have you venture deep into the famous caves at Cheddar to see where the Cheddar Man, Britain's oldest skeleton, was discovered.

Location: Cheddar, Somerset

Rainy Day Activities: Find out what lies beneath Exeter

Escape the rain to explore Exeter’s Underground Passages and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum - ideal indoor attractions for a drizzly day.

Location: Exeter, Devon

Take a guided tour through a Cumbrian mine

Explore the relationship between the geology of the Lake District area and the quarrying of local limestone, sandstone, granite and slate in Cumbria.

Location: Threlkeld, Cumbria

Discover hidden Ice Age art at Creswell Crags

Hidden in a beautiful limestone gorge you'll find some of Britain's only known Ice Age art.

Location: Creswell, Nottinghamshire

Visit England’s highest, longest and deepest canal tunnel

All aboard! Take a seat on the glass topped boat and take a journey into the highest, longest and deepest canal tunnel in the country.

Location: Marsden, West Yorkshire

Take a flight to the Heights of Abraham

Discover famous show caverns beneath a 60-acre hilltop park overlooking a deep, dramatic limestone gorge in the Peak District.

Location: Matlock, Derbyshire

Take a tour of the Peak District Mining Museum

Discover the cramped and hazardous world of a Derbyshire lead miner.

Explore some of England’s most dramatic caves

Head underground to gaze in wonder at the fascinating caves that form a major, but hidden, part of the Yorkshire Dales landscape.

Location: Ingleton, North Yorkshire

Explore Blue John Cavern

Take your own journey to the centre of the earth in search of the mysterious Blue John - originally discovered by the Romans.

Location: Castleton, Derbyshire

Experience the Blitz spirit at Stockport Air Raid Shelters

See how Britain survived the Blitz as you negotiate this dark labyrinth of tunnels at Stockport Air Raid Shelters.

Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester

Rainy Day Activities: Experience the underground world of Wookey Hole

There are legends aplenty about Britain’s biggest caves, where you’ll find a secret river and bewitching caverns.

Location: Wells, Somerset

Rainy Day Activities: Venture beneath the city on the Mersey Tunnel Tour

Take a sneak peak at the famous Queensway Mersey Tunnel - a unique indoor attraction close to Liverpool's bustling docks.

Location: Liverpool, Merseyside

Rainy Day Activities: Explore mining history at Woodhorn Museum

Explore hundreds of years of mining heritage at this unique museum in Northumberland, built from what was once the largest pit village in the world.

Location: Ashington, Northumberland

Delve deep inside the Hellfire Caves

Venture into the Buckinghamshire chalk caves that held the notorious Hellfire Club, founded by Sir Francis Dashwood in the 18th century.

Location: West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

Discover Nottingham's hidden heritage in this city of caves

Venture beneath the streets to discover a hidden world beneath your feet in the city of Nottingham.

Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Rainy Day Activities: Explore underground history at Ramsgate Tunnels

Take a step back in time to discover what life was like in this network of underground tunnels, home to thousands of people during the Second World War.

Location: Ramsgate, Kent

Journey underground at Castleton's Caves

Go underground and visit any of Castleton’s four spectacular show caves to experience the Peak District’s hidden underworld secrets.

December events: Enter an underground Christmas cave

Follow the story of Archie and the Unicorn, told through glittering lights in an underground cavern.

Location: Clearwell Caves, Gloucestershire

Stay in the Spooky Wookey Hole Hotel

A 58 bedroom Hotel located in the heart of the rolling Mendip Hills that is perfectly placed to get you to all the attractions with ease.

Cornish Mining World Heritage Site

Discover the history and heritage behind Cornwall's mining industry, early settlers and communities.

Location: Cornwall

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• Transport planning

National Travel Survey mid-year estimates

The survey collects information on how, why, when and where people travel. The mid-year estimates provide faster indicators for key tables.

National Travel Survey mid-year data tables

The mid-year estimates provide faster indicators for key tables and include data for 12-month periods from July to June.

NTSMY0101: Trips, distance travelled and time taken: England, year ending June 2023 ( ODS , 7.24 KB )

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NTSMY9903: Average number of trips by main mode, region and rural-urban classification of residence: England, year ending June 2023 ( ODS , 14.4 KB )

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National Travel Survey statistics

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My four-day rail and ferry adventure from the UK to Albania

From London to Tirana, via Chambéry’s medieval streets, bustling Bari and Albania’s dynamic capital, this trip across Europe has treats at every turn

M y overriding memories of crossing countries by train, on a trip from London to Albania, are of half-empty carriages and countryside sweeping past windows bathed in the soft orange glow of sunset. I remember cypress trees, red-roofed villages with square churches, farmland in neat strips and row upon row of vineyards.

On my London-Paris-Chambéry-Turin-Bari-Tirana journey over land and sea, there was, for long stretches, little to do. The wifi was patchy. It took a while to adapt to having so much time to simply watch the world go by, travelling through landscapes without having to navigate them.

The biggest stress happened long before I set off, when a landslide not far from the French border with Italy blocked the rail line between Chambéry and Turin, forcing a closure that continues today. Byway, the no-fly operator I had booked with, offered to reroute me through Nice and on to Turin via the Vermenagna valley (with changes in Tende and Cuneo), or book me on the FlixBus service over part of the Mont Blanc massif. I was keen to see Chambéry and the Alps, so I chose the bus.

People seemed surprised when I told them I was travelling overland to Albania. As I gushed about the romance of slow travel by train and sleeper ferry, and my excitement about Tirana, I got comments about being “brave”. I didn’t feel especially brave: all the planning, tickets and hotel bookings were done for me, and friendly help was a WhatsApp call away if needed.

I just had to download the Rail Planner app for my Interrail pass and make sure I was at the right station at the right time (Turin was the biggest challenge: it has four main railway stations and taxis scream between them bearing anxious-looking passengers).

The entire journey took four days. If I did it all again, I’d stay longer in Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot – and remember to buy my Paris Métro ticket from the cafe on the Eurostar.

Day one: London to Chamb éry

First to Paris’s Gare du Nord, then the metro to Gare de Lyon, where I make a beeline for a cafe opposite the station. Noise pervades the pavement tables of Café Terminus, but the cacophony is delightful – an atmospheric place for a citron pressé .

I’m in plenty of time for the train to Chambéry and, excitingly, am on the upper deck. Soon, we break free from the suburbs to trace huge stands of forest. Beyond Lyon begins a ripple of hills, lazy rivers and thickly forested slopes. As evening approaches, it’s all Alpine scenery. I arrive at an almost-empty station and walk to the boutique Hotel des Princes in Chambéry’s old town.

Chambéry has an Italian feel – it was the seat of the House of Savoy before the dynasty moved on to Turin – and its medieval alleys, cathedral and pastel-coloured townhouses are quietly impressive. The 1838 Fontaine des Éléphants sits in the middle of the closest square to the old town, and peeking from the end of every street are the Bauges and Chartreuse mountain ranges. My stay is peaceful and easy.

Day two: Chamb éry to Turin

From Chambéry, the train to Turin would take about 2½ hours, but the bus takes double this. I’m on the top deck again, which is worth it for the sight of misty fingers of early morning light breaking across the mountain ridge. Snoozing backpackers rouse themselves to snap pictures of remote Mont Blanc peaks, before slumbering once more through the tunnel to Italy. In Turin there’s perfume in the air from the blossom-covered trees.

Turin’s grid of long, straight boulevards is testament to its development by the Romans – the redbrick Palatine Gate is another Roman relic – and its grand piazzas, royal palaces and graffitied colonnades date from the city’s Savoy heyday in the 16th and 17th centuries. Today, the number one attraction is the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum).

My favourite moments? Ricotta and fig ice-cream on Piazza San Carlo, an aperitivo on off-the-beaten-path Via Sant’Agostino and the towering neoclassical Mole Antonelliana (national museum of cinema). I eat Turin’s famous doughy pizza al padellino (pan pizza) and spend a comfortable night in the eaves of Hotel Urbani in 19th-century residential streets close to the grand Porta Nuova train station.

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Day three: Turin to Bari

The views from my next train are of cinematic Tuscan scenes. Scorched fields, vines and Italian cypress trees. Neat red roofs and shabby-chic farmhouses. Fluffy clouds cling to hills that Google Maps tells me are the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. After hours of soothing golden landscapes, the opal-blue Adriatic wallops into view just north of Ancona. Beach bars whip by and cypress trees are replaced with palm trees: I’ve arrived in the south of Italy.

Bari is hands down my favourite stop. The noise, heat and energy as we step off the train in the early evening are joyous. After Chambéry and Turin, Bari feels brash, a little rough around the edges even; a proper port city. The labyrinthine alleyways of the whitewashed old town are almost cliched in their cuteness. Despite the troupes of tightly packed headphone-wearing Americans following guided tours, it somehow manages to retain a tranquil atmosphere.

Old ladies yawn from the shade as tourists surreptitiously snap pictures and laundry flutters from balconies. I could stay for ever, but after 24 hours (which includes a lot of pasta, a stroll along the posh promenade to the not-so-posh city beach and a night in an elegant aparthotel, Residence Zodiacus , halfway between the station and the old town), it’s time to board the night ferry to Albania.

Day (and night) four: Bari to Tirana

I arrive at the ferry on foot and am escorted through the car deck to jokes about going in the wrong direction (to Albania, instead of from it). In the early morning I spot a pink sky through the cracked window of my comfy en suite cabin, and head to the top deck to see the sun rise over the distant outline of Albania. Disembarking in the port of Durrës is a bit of a scrum and there’s a bus to the capital waiting, but I opt instead for a five-minute taxi ride to the centre of town and breakfast of pastries and espresso on a dazzling white road lined with boutiques and palm trees. I later regret this though, as the aircon on the grubby public bus I eventually take to Tirana is more tired than I am, and drops me in an urban sprawl miles from the centre.

Tirana itself is a revelation. My hotel, Padam Boutique , is a grand villa with handsome rooms and floor-to-ceiling windows, and there’s striking new skyward architecture on every nearby street. A short stroll away is the landmark Pyramid of Tirana , which stands as a symbol and monument to change (and is fun to climb at sunset). Skanderbeg Square – a jumble of buildings erected on a roundabout at the time of the celebrations to mark the fall of communism in 1992 – is now a pedestrianised, glossy public space. There are nods to Albania’s recent, wretched history behind the iron curtain, of course – the Bunk’Art and Bunk’Art 2 museums, in nuclear bunkers are unmissable – but Tirana and the country are more than just the last century. My journey is done, but it feels like Tirana is just getting into its stride.

The trip was provided by Byway , which offers sustainable travel and accommodation packages across the UK and Europe. Its Alps to Albania trip costs from £679pp

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