Ingleborough Cave

Ingleborough Cave, in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, was first discovered in 1837 by brave Victorian explorers who drained away a lake and went on to discover 1/2km of previously unexplored passages delving deep beneath Ingleborough mountain with only candles to guide them! Today, the cave is well lit, and you can follow in the footsteps of those pioneers on an awe-inspiring voyage of discovery! A concrete footpath leads visitors past breath-taking stalactites, stalagmites and flowstones, as you are led by expert guides through a kilometre of passages brought to life by formations and artefacts dating back millions of years! The significant impact of the Ice Age is visible, and as recently as 2002 the tooth of a woolly rhinoceros, now long extinct, was discovered just beyond the show cave!

Ingleborough Cave is reached by walking the 1.23 mile Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail. The trail is the gateway to some of the U.K’s most stunning limestone scenery including Ingleborough Cave, Trow Gill gorge, Gaping Gill pothole, limestone pavements, the Norber Erratics and ultimately the summit of Ingleborough, one of the famous Yorkshire Three Peaks. Alfred Wainwright, the esteemed guidebook author and illustrator, considered this the standout walk in the Yorkshire Dales and described this route up Ingleborough as “the finest of all, a classic”. Our FREE walking guide on our website provides routes for all ages and abilities.

Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail & Ingleborough Cave are dog, pram and disability friendly. Please read the information on our website before visiting if you're planning to use a pram or wheelchair.