Dark caverns, vaults, tunnels and mines are not everyone’s idea of a grand day out. The underworld has had a bad reputation since the ancient Greeks dubbed it Hades – the realm of the dead.
But to our Palaeolithic ancestors, caves offered safety and shelter from the elements. For anyone planning a staycation this summer, they make for a thrilling alternative to the beach – with no reliance on a sunny forecast.
The UK has countless natural caves, as well as deep underground spaces carved out by humans. They not only offer escape from the summer crowds at attractions above ground, but instil a sense of awe.
Heading below reveals millions of years of geology and the hard labour of those who tunnelled bravely in the Plutonic depths, using rudimentary tools by the light of smoky tallow candles.
Serious cavers relish squeezing through impossibly tight spaces to enter chambers previously uncharted. For the casual day-tripper though there are underground worlds to explore that don’t exert quite so much effort. Some don’t require a hardhat or headlamp, while others see visitors clipped onto an underground via ferrata in full caving suits.
Whatever your thrill level, here is a selection of 10 of the best caves, mines and tunnel experiences in the UK.
They range from places with cafés, gift shops and museums, to modest operations run by volunteers, only open to the public for a limited number of days annually.
None would be suitable for the claustrophobic.
1. Beer quarry caves, Devon, England
A seam of fossil-free limestone has been quarried 200ft below ground here in the Beer (named the ‘best British seaside village for nostalgia’ last year) since Roman times. The remaining voids – once used for hiding contraband – stretch for an area of over 100 football fields.
