Wookey Hole Caves

Wookey Hole Caves lie in the Mendip Hills near Wells in Somerset. The River Axe flows through these limestone caverns, which are a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Formed by acidic groundwater dissolving rock, the caves stay at a steady 11 °C year-round. The site has been used by humans and Neanderthals for 45,000 years, with tools and bones found inside. A medieval corn mill once stood on the river’s resurgence, and a paper mill has operated since the early 17th century.

The caves have played a key role in British cave diving. In the 1930s, Jack Sheppard, Graham Balcombe and Penelope Powell made the first cave dives here. Explorers have since mapped about 4,000 metres of passages and 25 chambers. Herbert E. Balch opened part of the system as a show cave in 1927. The Witch of Wookey Hole, a stalagmite said to be a petrified witch, is a famous feature. Films and television shows, including *Doctor Who*, have used the caves as a location.

Visitors follow a guided route through large chambers and high-level passages. A man-made tunnel lets them cross parts of the cave system by bridges and walkways. The tour skirts the ninth chamber before reaching the resurgence. Beyond the show cave, divers explore deeper sections, including the Lake of Gloom. The caves drain a wide area of the Mendips, with water emerging from the southern slopes.