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.
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
Take a tour of the Peak District Mining Museum
Discover the cramped and hazardous world of a Derbyshire lead miner.
Location: Matlock, Derbyshire
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
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.
Location: Castleton, Derbyshire
Cornish Mining World Heritage Site
Discover the history and heritage behind Cornwall's mining industry, early settlers and communities.
Location: Cornwall
