Peak District | Family days out
When the weather turns grey, the Peak District has a brilliant trick up its sleeve: some of the finest show caves in Britain. Four of them sit within a short drive or a walk of each other around the village of Castleton in the Hope Valley, namely Speedwell Cavern, Peak Cavern, Treak Cliff Cavern and Blue John Cavern. A fifth, Poole’s Cavern, lies on the edge of the spa town of Buxton, around half an hour’s drive away. All five are open through the winter, and several are adding a festive sparkle this December with carols and lights underground. Here are five caves worth exploring with the family.
1. Speedwell Cavern, Castleton: an underground boat trip
Speedwell Cavern is the one children tend to remember, because the visit is made by boat. After heading down 106 steps, you climb aboard and are guided along a flooded tunnel that miners cut through the hillside around 200 years ago in search of lead. The journey ends in a vast natural cavern at the famous Bottomless Pit, an underground lake that the cavern describes as huge, with a surface of roughly 250 square metres. It is not, in fact, bottomless: so much waste rock was tipped into it by the miners that it is now only about 11 metres deep. A visit usually takes 45 minutes to an hour, under-fives can travel free on an adult’s knee, and the trip is not recommended for anyone who struggles with tight spaces or claustrophobia.
2. Peak Cavern, Castleton: the “Devil’s Arse”
Tucked into a gorge right beneath Peveril Castle, Peak Cavern is famous for two things: its cheeky nickname, the Devil’s Arse, and its gaping mouth, which the cavern bills as the largest natural cave entrance in the British Isles. That vast entrance chamber was once home to a community of rope makers, and guides explain how they twisted rope for the local lead miners, as well as the folklore behind the cave’s name. Guided tours last around 60 to 75 minutes and are fairly easy going, with a few steps (all with handrails) and one short stretch of around 30 metres where you need to stoop. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome on tours, which is a rarity underground. The cave also doubles as a remarkable concert venue, and its 2026 Christmas carol concerts with local brass bands are almost entirely sold out, with only a handful of tickets left for the Christmas Eve performance at the time of writing.
3. Treak Cliff Cavern, Castleton: home of Blue John stone
Treak Cliff Cavern is the place to see Blue John, the rare banded purple and yellow stone that, according to the cavern, is only found naturally in Treak Cliff Hill. Visits are self-guided using a free audio-tour app on your own phone, so download it before you arrive and bring headphones, then wander at your own pace for around 45 minutes. Along the way you will pass a tunnel dug by hand by miners in the 1750s, fossils some 330 million years old, and beautiful formations in chambers with names such as Aladdin’s Cave, Fairyland and the Dream Cave, home to some of the best stalactites in the Peak District. There are 196 steps in total, though never more than 30 in one go, and the entrance tunnel is low in places. In December the cavern is decorated for Christmas and hosts Carols by Candlelight in the twinkling Witch’s Cave on weekend afternoons, with mulled wine and mince pies afterwards.
4. Blue John Cavern, Castleton: grand chambers below Mam Tor
High on the slopes of Mam Tor, Blue John Cavern offers a more traditional guided tour, led by guides who take groups down through a series of natural caverns and old mine workings. The cavern describes its caves as some of the finest open to the public, and they are a wonderful way to show children how caves form in limestone laid down on the floor of an ancient ocean. Expect lofty chambers such as Lord Mulgrave’s Dining Room and the Variegated Cavern, along with veins of the Blue John stone that gives the cave its name. Tours take 50 minutes to an hour and set off every 30 to 40 minutes, but be ready for 245 steps in and out, so this one suits sturdier legs; babies need to be carried in a sling or back carrier so you have a hand free for the rail. Dogs on leads are welcome, and admission is paid on the day at the cavern rather than booked online.
5. Poole’s Cavern, Buxton: stalactites, woodland and Solomon’s Temple
Over in Buxton, Poole’s Cavern is run by the charity Buxton Civic Association and makes an easy, family-friendly cave visit suitable for all ages. Guided tours last about 45 minutes and reveal stalactites, stalagmites and calcite flows, including a stalactite nicknamed the Flitch of Bacon and the orange-topped “poached egg” stalagmites. The main chamber is wheelchair accessible, and beyond it there are only 28 steps along the rest of the route, which makes it a good choice for little legs. Afterwards, head out into Grin Low woods and Buxton Country Park and climb to Solomon’s Temple, a Victorian tower built in 1896 on the highest point of the hill, around 439 metres up, with sweeping views across the countryside. This Christmas the cavern has Christmas Lights running from 1 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, plus a new evening event, Christmas Underground: Brass & Voices, on Sunday 13 December, which needs to be booked in advance.
Tips for a day underground
The four Castleton caves are close enough together that you could comfortably fit two, or even three, into a single day, perhaps a boat trip at Speedwell in the morning and Peak Cavern or Treak Cliff after lunch in the village. Whatever the weather above ground, it is chilly below, with the caves sitting somewhere between about 7°C and 11°C all year round, so bring an extra layer for everyone, sensible shoes with a good grip and a waterproof, as floors can be wet and uneven. Book online where you can, as several caves offer cheaper early-bird or online prices, and arrive in good time because tours start promptly. Note that Peak Cavern has no toilets of its own, so use the facilities in the main Castleton car park first. If you are planning more Derbyshire adventures, take a look at our guide to Y Not Festival 2027 in the Peak District.
Plan your visit
Speedwell Cavern, Castleton: open daily, 10am to 4pm from November to March (last tour 3pm). Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Online prices £23.50 adults, £14.50 children aged 5 to 15; under-fives free on an adult’s knee.
Peak Cavern, Castleton: November to March, three tours on weekdays outside school holidays (11am, 1pm and 3pm), and hourly tours from 10am to 4pm at weekends and in school holidays. Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Online prices £22.25 adults, £13.75 children, £60 family ticket.
Treak Cliff Cavern, Castleton: November to February, 9.30am to 4pm (last tour 3.15pm). Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day; open from noon on New Year’s Day. Standard prices £16 adults, £10 children aged 5 to 17, with cheaper early-bird tickets online.
Blue John Cavern, Castleton: open daily from 9.30am, with tours from 10am to 3pm, weather permitting. Closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Pay on the day: £19 adults, £13 children aged 5 to 15, £56 family ticket. It is worth phoning ahead on 01433 620638 to check.
Poole’s Cavern, Buxton: October to March, 9.45am to 4pm on weekdays and to 4.30pm at weekends. Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Advance booking is recommended.
Prices and times were correct at the time of writing; always check the official websites before setting off, especially in bad weather.