YORKSHIRE DALES - 50 MINS FROM PATELEY BRIDGE
Ingleborough
Cave
A stunning show cave in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, reached by a mile-long walk through one of England's finest limestone valleys. Ancient stalactites, underground rivers and remarkable cave formations - all on a guided tour that brings the geology to life.
Visit information
- Location
- Near Clapham, North Yorkshire, LA2 8EE
- From Pateley Bridge
- Approx 50 minutes via Skipton and A65
- Cave tour
- Guided tours only, depart throughout the day. Duration approx 45 minutes.
- Walk to cave
- 1 mile each way through Clapdale nature reserve - beautiful woodland and riverside path
- Dogs
- Welcome on the walk and at the Old Sawmill Tearoom. Not permitted inside the cave.
- Website
- www.ingleboroughcave.co.uk
The walk through Clapdale
You can't drive to Ingleborough Cave - and that is part of what makes it special. From Clapham village, a mile-long track winds through Clapdale, a beautiful limestone valley with a narrow lake, ancient ash and yew woodland, and the beck chattering alongside.
This walk is an attraction in its own right. The valley is a nature reserve, quiet even in summer, with the limestone pavement and cliffs becoming more dramatic as you approach the cave entrance. In spring the valley floor is carpeted with wood anemone and wild garlic.
Dogs are welcome on the walk to the cave and in the grounds, though not inside. The Old Sawmill Tearoom at the entrance serves good food and is a lovely place to sit after a cave tour.
Inside the cave
The cave was first explored by local cavers in the 1830s and opened to visitors in 1838, making it one of England's oldest show caves. The guided tour follows the course of an ancient underground river, now dry, through chambers hung with stalactites.
The formations include flowstone walls, cave pearls and straws - hollow stalactites thin as a drinking straw. The cave system eventually connects, underground, to Gaping Gill - the massive pothole on the flanks of Ingleborough above - though that connection is only passable by experienced cavers.
Tours are led by knowledgeable guides who explain the geology in a way that genuinely makes sense even if you have never thought about limestone before. Allow 45 minutes for the tour and time to look around at the entrance area.
The Nimpish Squimbies Trail
For younger visitors, the cave has created a fun trail through the grounds featuring the Nimpish Squimbies - mythical cave creatures with their own story. Children follow the trail to find the Squimbies hidden around the grounds, making the visit work well as a family day out even for those too young to do the full cave tour.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Combine with Ingleton Waterfalls
Ingleborough Cave and the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail are only 15 minutes apart. Do the waterfalls in the morning and the cave in the afternoon for a full day of Yorkshire Dales scenery and geology.