FOUL Pot

You'll need a torch and a willing spirit to get much from Foul Pot, a proper caving experience near Settle that doesn't mess about with safety rails or visitor centres. It's a through-cave that demands you actually crawl, squeeze, and wade through water - this isn't a stroll through a gift-shop-friendly show cave. The passage is tight in places, genuinely atmospheric, and rewards you with formations and passages that feel properly wild.

It's absolutely the sort of thing that appeals to serious cavers and teenagers who fancy proving themselves. Families with young children will find it frustrating rather than fun unless they're genuinely experienced underground. You need caving gear - helmet, light, proper footwear - and ideally someone who knows the way. Allow a good two to three hours depending on your pace and experience level.

The nearest proper town is Settle, which sits right on the edge of limestone country, and if you're staying at Orcaber Farm Caravan & Camping Park just outside town, Foul Pot makes for an excellent half-day adventure. It's the sort of thing that breaks up a holiday nicely - proper caving without the commercial polish. Go when you're dry and confident in the dark, and don't underestimate how physically demanding it actually is. Not for everyone, but exactly right if you know what you're after.