Stump Cross Caverns

13 miles away from Skipton.

On the B6265 between Grassington and Pately Bridge. Discovered in 1858. These Natural Caves are open to the public.

Stump Cross Caverns near Grassington in Yorkshire is one of the countries leading show caves, and one of the few that actually encourages cavers to explore and extend it. The cave was discovered accidentally by two lead miners working near Stubbe or Stump Cross in 1858, William and Mark Newbold.

Caves are usually disliked by miners as they contain no lead ore, but the Newbold brothers were from Derbyshire and knew that a cave opened up to the public, could have commercial value. Knowing that access via a vertical shaft would be unpopular with visitors, they opened up a sloping rift, installed steps, and by 1863 the cave was opened to the public, with many thousands of people visiting it since.

The superb range of stalactites and stalagmites, unusual rock formations and spectacular lighting with level pathways all go to make a descent into the caves an unforgettable experience for people of all ages. Sparkling stalactites and stalagmites add an extra ingredient to the water sculpted rock walls of the cave, and scientists have found a way to tell how old they are. Some of the stalagmites at Stump Cross Caverns are known to be at least 170,000 years old and, therefore, the actual passages themselves must be very much older. Exploration since 1858 has extended the system to over 4 miles in length and yielded animal bones over 90,000 years old from a time when the Dales were a wild, and frozen wasteland.

Click on any thumbnail for a larger image

Self-guided tours or guided tours by arrangement. Schools, private and evening parties always welcome by appointment.

Open daily mid March – mid November, from 10am Open weekends (and by appointment) during the winter months, from 11am – 4 pm

Video Room with 20 minute video about the area and its caves.

Gift Shop Tea Room accommodating up to 60 at a time.

National Park Information Point
Ample car and coach parking for patrons Come rain, come shine

Click on any thumbnail for a larger image

Address:

Greenhow, Pateley Bridge, Harrogate, HG3 5JL
Tel no: (01756) 752780
Fax no: (01756) 752780

Website: http://www.stumpcrosscaverns.co.uk

Links
Map of area

Click on any thumbnail for a larger image

Search gallery for more photos