Since exploring Yorkshire and Derbyshire in more depth we are amazed at what we found.  The caves in Yorkshire and The Peak District are especially impressive, some of which are so vast it is hard to believe they are here in blighty. Some are so beautiful but hardly known about, even within England.  We are excited to share this list with you.  We will share a list of the top 12 Caves in Yorkshire and The Peak District that you can actually visit and the jump into which 5 we think are the best for an amazing experience with your family.  If done safely they are all suitable for older kids, a few however are just not a good idea or even possible with toddlers.

If you’re reading up on amazing caves in Yorkshire and Derbyshire you’re probably the adventurous type so don’t miss out on our best walks in the Peak District for families AND the best Peak District walks with toddlers.  We know trekking is a bit different with kids so we’ve tried and tested endless walks around the Peak district and found these to be the most fun for the whole family. 

List of 12 Caves in Yorkshire and The Peak District that you can visit

These are all caves in Yorkshire and The Peak District that are open to the public to explore throughout most of the year.  Many operate tours, some allow you to explore by yourself after a safety briefing a few are just free to explore.  Excitingly some even hold special events in the caves, so keep this list pinned and keep an eye on local info for these caves!  There are in the region of 2500 caves in Yorkshire alone and countless caves in Derbyshire, so this list to help you know which are the best accessible caves that are fun and make for a great day trip.

• Thors Cave in the Peak District
• Peak Cavern in the Peak District
• Speedwell Cavern in the Peak District
• Dove Holes Cave in the Peak District
• Treak Cliff Cavern in the Peak District
• Robin Hoods Cave in the Peak District
• White Scar Cave in the Dales
• Blue John Cavern  in the Dales
• Ingleborough Cave in the Dales
• Stump Cross Caverns in North Yorkshire
• Mother Shipton’s Cave in North Yorkshire
• White scar caves Ingleton In North Yorkshire

5 experiences you can have in caves in Yorkshire and the Peak District

The top 12 caves are all amazing in their own ways, but our blog is about really connecting with and experiencing the world, so we wanted to help you pick out the 5 best caves in Yorkshire and the Peak District where you can have an amazing family experience together.  The nature of caves does tend to mean that these experiences are better suited to older children, but there are still a few you can do with toddlers.  If you are looking for exciting walking adventures that are suitable for toddlers we have done a post dedicated to the most beautiful and fun toddler friendly walks in the Peak district.  There are a surprising amount of impressive landmarks you can reach with a toddler.

1. Robin Hood’s Cave in the Peak District

This is a personal favourite and you’re unlikely to see it on other lists of caves in Yorkshire and the Peak District as it is not easy to get to and it is not particularly showy.  The thing that makes this cave special is the experience of camping in it. It is not some big tourist attraction, it is just a beautiful cave looking out over the peak district that you can sleep in. We have seen quite a few sunrise and sunset skies from this simple yet beautiful cave.

This little gem of a cave is just outside of Sheffield, right on the border of Yorkshire and Derbyshire. It is tricky to get to but we have put together a short blog to help you work out exactly where Robin Hoods cave is and how best to get to it.  It is part of stanage edge which makes for a beautiful hike.  If you don’t want to camp but fancy a walk that includes it check out this absolute gem of a walk along stanage edge.

2. Flamborough Caves on the East Yorkshire Coast

The East coast of Yorkshire has some stunning coastline to explore.  Flamborough may well be the very best of it. Not only do you have stunning white cliffs and picturesque beaches, but you also have some stunning sea caves to explore. First up and please let this sink in! CHECK THE TIDE TIMES many sea caves may be fine when you go in, but fill up quickly and become dangerous quickly. Ok, got that out the way. These caves are beautiful, exciting and have a sense of mystery when you explore them; it’s hard to not start thinking you might just stumble across some pirate treasure. 

Another great thing about exploring these caves in Yorkshire is you are by the sea, so you can go swimming, grab some fish and chips and maybe even enjoy an ice cream. It’s a truly stunning part of England, absolutely perfect for families.  If you are looking for caves to explore with toddlers that have a bit more thrown into the day, this would be our top pick. Yorkshire is actually full of hidden gems that make for a great family holiday, we have out together the best family holidays in Yorkshire here.

3. Gaping Gill in the Dales

This has to be the cave with the most WOW factor in the UK and it may well be one of the most famous caves in Yorkshire. This beauty is an impressive 192 meters deep with a waterfall running into it.  Several times a year when you can camp out and then for just £15 be lowered down into it in a winch! Exploring this cave has to be one of the best things we have done in England and we would highly recommend it. We made a holiday of it in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and loved it.  Because our kids are so young we went with relatives who could kindly look after little ones as we took turns to explore the cave.  So you can make it work with young kids, but if you want the whole family to enjoy it, this cave experience is more for oler kids.

This epic cave is famous for good reason and because of that it is well sign posted, it makes for a great walk. Please do note that other than the official caving days or with special permission and expert equipment, you can’t see much. Make sure you watch out on local cavers websites for the latest dates for events. The Craven Pothole Club usually has the latest dates. There are also a lot of restrictions on who can go down due to safety reasons, so make sure you look into that if you are planning a trip. 

4. Thor’s Cave in the Peak District

The best and most surprising thing about this cave is that you can just hike upto it yourself and explore.  For such a vast and stunning cave, this is really quite impressive. It is a little tricky to climb into, but if you don’t mind a bit of scrambling it is very accessible.  We visited with a toddler and a baby and found it to be a lot of fun.  We’re not claiming it’s baby friendly, but our toddler loved it.  We did of course have to keep a close eye on him though.  

The most impressive feature is ofcourse the vast opening overlooking the beautiful Peak DIstrict. Out of all the caves in Yorkshire this may be the most picture perfect.  As you would imagine the lighting at different points in the day is absolutely stunning.  It really is quite a fun cave, we spent a lot of time skidding down big slabs of rock on our bums.   

How to get to Thor’s Cave?

We have written a post especially on walking to and around Thor’s Cave as there is quite a lot to know.  Once you know where to park and what direction to set off in it is pretty straight forward.  If you don’t do your research before you get there it is easy to get lost.  There are also quite a few different and impressive view points around the cave that we outline so you don’t miss anything.  If you want to make it into a bigger day out we have also put together a great walk for you in the area with maps and all the details you need.   

This is one of the lesser known caves in Yorkshire, but can still get a bit busy at the weekends due to being so close to Manchester and Sheffield. If you can try to visit during the week and as early as possible.

5. Peak Cavern in the Peak District

Peaks cavern, better known as the devil’s erm, bottom is typically open all year round and you can enjoy guided tours of the cave. The true magic of Peak Cavern, the time of year it becomes truly something special, has to be at Christmas. Each year they hold these stunning Christmas celebrations in the cave where they decorate it and arrange for an entire brass band to play Christmas carols, the acoustics are glorious, as are the mince pies.  Booking needs to be done in advance and there are a few details that are nice to know before you book your carols in the cave experience.  The tickets are only £10, which for such a magical experience is impressive, especially when they include mulled wine and a mince pie!  Out of all the caves in Yorkshire, this is by far the most magical and worth doing at least once with family and friends. 

Children friendly caves in Yorkshire and The Peak District

Some of the most children friendly caves in Yorkshire and The Peak District are all in close proximity, centred around Castleton. Castleton have 4 caves that you can explore, they all offer family friendly tours where you can learn something as you go round. The tour guides we’ve come across are super friendly and make it a great experience.

There are actually technical thousands of caves in Yorkshire and The Peak District so lets help you narrow it down to four that would make for great family experience, all int he same area. Blue John Cavern, Speedwell Cavern, Peak Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern all have something that make them special, so if you search any of these up you can find the latest opening times and if there are any special seasonal events.