33 Caves to Explore in United Kingdom

Checkout places to visit in United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom consists of four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is the sixth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest economy by purchasing power parity. It has a high-income economy and has a very high Human Development Index rating, ranking 14th in the world. It was the world's first industrialised country and the world's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

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Caves to Explore in United Kingdom

Smoo Cave

Smoo Cave is a large combined sea cave and freshwater cave. The cave was formed along two geological lines of weakness by a combination of erosion from the sea and an inland underground stream which has formed the innermost chambers. The cave can be thought of as two caves formed by different mechanisms which have joined together over time.

Snib's Cave

Snib’s Cave is a cave in Scotland. Snib’s Cave is situated north of Ballantrae, close to Bennane Head.

Speedwell Cavern

The Speedwell caves are set at the foot of the Winnats Pass. It is one of 4 caves in the village of Castleton. Once a lead mine, the watery tunnels of Speedwell Cavern were originally blasted by miners over 200 years ago searching for treasures beneath the ground using primitive tools. A fascinating boat ride through the flooded workings of an 18thC lead mine. The boat trips are fully supervised by experienced guides and take you deep inside a limestone hill to the 'bottomless pit', a huge under

St Cuthbert's Cave

St Cuthbert’s Cave, nestled away in the remote countryside of Belford, oozes mystery due to its spiritual past.It is said that the ancient monks of Lindisfarne laid St Cuthbert’s body to rest here in AD875, the reputable saint who possessed the power of spiritual healing. The woodlands and cave are the property of the National Trust. The cave is formed of overhanging rock, sufficiently large to provide shelter for a small group.

St Ninian's Cave

St Ninian's Cave is a natural cave on the southwestern coast of the Machars of Galloway, traditionally associated with St Ninian. It can only be reached by foot and the easiest approach is by walking down an excellent footpath through a leafy glen from Physgill then along the pebbly shore to the cave. There are great views towards the Isle of Man and many opportunities for wildlife spotting – including grey seals.

Stump Cross Caverns

An ancient natural cave formation deep underneath the Yorkshire Dales. The caves themselves began to form as the limestone was eroded by weak acid rain, created when carbon dioxide from the atmosphere mixed with the precipitation to form carbonic acid. It offer a range of facilities for a great family day out, including a gift shop and tea room as well as the caves themselves. There is also a twenty minute film presentation shown in its lecture theatre, informing visitors of the history and de

The Hellfire Caves

The Hellfire Caves are a network of man-made chalk and flint caverns that extend 0.25 miles underground. The tunnel and its warren of adjoining chambers and halls were dug a quarter of a mile into the earth, directly beneath a church. They were excavated between 1748 and 1752 for Francis Dashwood, 11th Baron le Despencer, founder of the Dilettanti Society and co-founder of the Hellfire Club, whose meetings were held in the caves.

Thor's Cave

Thor's Cave is a natural cavern in Staffordshire, England. This natural cavern is located in the Manifold Valley of the White Peak in Staffordshire. It is classified as a Karst cave. Reached by an easy stepped path from the Manifold Way, the cave is a popular tourist spot, with views over the Manifold Valley. The second entrance is known as the "West Window", below which is a second cave, Thor's Fissure Cavern.

Treak Cliff Cavern

Treak Cliff Cavern in Castleton is famous throughout the world for its unique and large deposits of Blue John stone and The cave comprises two sections, the Old Series, discovered by lead miners in the 18th century, and the New Series, discovered during blasting in the 1920s. Mined for the rare Blue John ornamental mineral for over 300 years, the Visitor Attraction is a family run business, operated by the Harrison family, continuously since 1945.

Wallace's Cave

A beautiful artificial cave capable of holding 60 to 70 men, is said to have been a hiding place of Sir William Wallace and others. . The cave extends some 38' into the cliff, with two recesses. The small rectangular entrance to Wallace's Cave is situated on a rock ledge about 18m above the River Esk. The cave extends up to 12m into the cliff and contains two recesses.

Wemyss Caves

The Wemyss Caves house mysterious carvings from as early as 300AD. In the face of natural and human threats, archaeologists are racing to decode them before they vanish. The Caves are historically precious due to the high number of carvings which are inscribed on their walls. The earliest of these are thought to date to the Bronze Age, whilst the vast majority are connected with the Pictish period.

White Scar Cave

White Scar Cave is the longest show cave in Britain. See underground waterfalls, flowstone, and the massive ice-age cavern decorated with thousands of stalactites. Spectacular location in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Originally accessed through a vertical boulder choke, an access tunnel has been cut to include it on the visitor trail.It is open as a show cave, the entrance being from the Ribblehead to Ingleton road on the west of Ingleborough, with tours being run throughout the year

Wookey Hole Caves

Wookey Hole is the UK’s largest show caves system, home to the infamous Witch of Wookey Hole and our new Chamber 20 with rare rock formations. With these world famous caves PLUS over 20 magnificent attractions, Wookey Hole is a great day out for all the family. The caves have been used by humans for around 45,000 years, demonstrated by the discovery of tools from the Palaeolithic period, along with fossilised animal remains.

Map of Caves to explore in United Kingdom