Small Mammal Pot

It's a proper cave system, not some tourist trap with electric lights and a gift shop. Small Mammal Pot sits near Settle in the Yorkshire Dales, and you'll need to do a bit of walking and scrambling to get to it - which means most casual visitors never bother, leaving it wonderfully quiet.

The cave itself is compact, which is exactly what the name suggests. You're crawling through limestone passages where bats and other small mammals actually live, so there's a real sense of exploring genuine wildlife habitat rather than a sanitised show cave. It's dark, damp, and you'll get mud on your knees. Bring a torch and proper footwear.

This is absolutely for experienced cavers or keen walkers with some adventure in them. Kids will either love it or hate it - depends entirely on their tolerance for tight spaces and getting properly dirty. Families after a gentle stroll should look elsewhere. Allow a couple of hours if you're taking your time and soaking it in.

The Dalesbridge Campsite is only three miles away, making it a solid option if you're basing yourself in the area for a few days of cave exploration and hill walking. Orcaber Farm is similarly close by. Pair it with walks around the wider Dales landscape and you've got a proper outdoors weekend sorted.

It's free, which is brilliant. No booking needed - just turn up prepared.