It’s no secret that there was life before humans, but all these millions of years later, it’s not so easy to find that history – unless you look for it, of course. Something you don’t have to do thanks to the Yorkshire Dales based Stump Cross Caverns.
Unassumingly positioned by the entrance to the National Park – just a stone’s throw away from other pre-historic beauty spots such as Malham Tarn and the Druid’s Temple – Stump Cross is one of the most unique places to visit in Yorkshire, with its USP being that the beauty at Stump Cross lies underground.
Beginning to form 300 million years ago when the region was covered by the ocean, Stump Cross Caverns is a complex limestone cave system that has existed for over 500,000 years – discovered by lead miners William and Mark Newbould back in 1860.
Since then, locals and tourists alike have been able to basque in the beauty of the caves, taking in the sights of the unusual stalagmite and stalactite formations that take centre stage underground – in present day, led by Cavewoman and her fantastic team of cave enthusiasts.
But Stump Cross Caverns is so much more than a cave tour. While guests are able to explore the mile of caves open to the public freely (the other four miles are still relatively uncovered!), Stump Cross also offers an array of other activities, too, including a fossil dig with Cavewoman – where children can learn about rocks, fossils and the caves’ history, while creating their own fossil cast with ammonite and digging for precious stones to take home.
If that wasn’t all, guests can also enjoy the private cinema – the perfect place for screening Jurassic Park (but, of course!). The cinema is popular with families looking to enjoy a unique movie experience together, with a large array of movies available to screen.
Elsewhere, the Time Cafe serves up a delicious menu of sandwiches, paninis, cream tea and even afternoon tea, with exceptional views of the surrounding Yorkshire Dales. Of course, outdoor seating is also available to help you soak up the views even further, and there’s even a private bookable Time Out Pod where you can escape the world for a while for a bit of food and drink.
One of our personal favourite activities has to be the gem panning experience outdoors, where guests can take to the specially-designed sluice to sift through stones and uncover precious stones such as amethyst, rose quartz, emeralds, and moonstone – a great activity if you’re interested in crystals and other stones.
All of the aforementioned activities are included in Stump Cross Caverns’ value-packed Discovery Day experience designed for families – ending on the grand finale of the UV Cave Adventure – where guests can head down to the caves one last time to see them in pitch dark, with only UV torches to see in most areas.
This is an incredibly special way to see the caves, however, can only be seen after 3pm, so it’s worth sticking around for the final adventure. Under the UV torches, the calcite glows in the dark, making for the most amazing photo opportunities and allowing guests to see the beauty in a whole new light – literally.
The Discovery Day costs just £84 for a family of four, with other ticket packages available for the perfect day out in Yorkshire. Find out more and book here.
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