Going underground: Yorkshire's hidden caves and caverns you need to visit

Yorkshire has many hidden depths to waiting to be discovered and these impressive caves and caverns should be top of the list. White Scar Cave First opened to the public in 1925, White Scar Cave at Ingleton is the longest show cave in Britain at 100 metres long and 30 metres in height. The cave is home to a stunning array of stalagmites and stalacites, underground streams and waterfalls, which can all be seen on a guided tour, and with plenty of picnic areas around the site, including a cafe and shop, it makes for a fascinating day out. Visit: Ingleton, Carnforth, LA6 3AW - whitescarcave.co.uk Stump Cross Caverns Located in Nidderdale on the border of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the limestone cave system at Stumps Cross were first discovered by miners in 1860 and later opened to the public in 1863 at the cost of a shilling. Inside there are three and a half miles of passageways to explore, with a gift shop and tea room also on site, offering visitors plenty to enjoy on a sight-seeing day out. Visit: Greenhow Hill, Harrogate, HG3 5JL - stumpcrosscaverns.co.uk Gaping Gill This impressive cave system is one of the longest, largest and most complex underground caverns in the UK, with a main shaft descending 105 metres underground and a chamber large enough to engulf St. Paul's Cathedral, making it one of the most sought-after spots among caving enthusiasts. As well as the main shaft, which measures 129 metres in length and is 31 metres high, there are also six other entrances into the cave, although it is most commonly accessed from Clapham by walking past Ingleborough Cave. Visit: Clapdale Drive, Lancaster, LA2 8EE - yorkshiredales.org.uk Ingleborough Cave First made accessible back in 1837, Ingleborough is the premier show cave in the Yorkshire Dales and is home to a number of large flood-lit passage full of intriguing artefacts to be seen along the way. Tours are held from February until the end of October and is generally accessible in all weathers. Visit: Clapham, Lancaster, LA2 8EE - ingleboroughcave.co.uk Mother Shipton's Cave Opened in 1630, Mother Shipton's Cave is England's oldest visitor attraction and was home to the famous Yorkshire soothsayer whose prophecies were a thing of legend. Here visitors can see explore her birthplace and see the amazing powers of the petriying well, which turns items into stone over time. Visit: Prophecy Lodge, Harrogate Road, High Bridge, Knaresborough, HG5 8DD - mothershipton.co.uk Blue John Cavern Home to eight of the fourteen known varieties of Blue John Stone, the dazzling mineral has been mined here for many centuries and can be seen in its natural state inside this impressive cavern in the Peak District. Visitors can embark on guided tours through the vast underground cavern, with stalagmites, stalacites and fossils also visible to see inside. Visit: Castleton, Hope Valley, S33 8WA - bluejohn-cavern.co.uk Victoria Cave Nestled east of Langcliffe in Ribblesdale, Victoria Cave was discovered by chance in 1837 and was given its name thanks to be unearthed in the year of Queen Victoria's coronation. Numberous prehistoric remains have been found here since its discovery, including 130,000-year-old hippos, rhinos, elephants and spotted hyenas, and the cave is now managed by the National Park Authority. Visit: Langcliffe, Settle, BD24 9RD - yorkshiredales.org.uk Simpson's Pot One of a number of entrances into the Kingsdale master cave system in the Dales, Simpson's Pot is a popular spot among experienced cavers and involves a 'pull through' trip, meaning cavers must navigate multiple abseils which eventually lead into the main system. Involving plenty of rope work and wet crawls, it's one of the more exciting caves to explore. Visit: Kingsdale, North Yorkshire