Columns Cave

The cave sits tucked into the sandstone cliffs just outside Nottingham, and it's one of those places that rewards a bit of poking about. You're looking at a proper underground chamber carved into the rock - the columns that give it its name are actually the natural stone pillars that hold the roof up, catching the light in a way that makes you understand why someone bothered to record this spot centuries ago.

It's not a vast sprawling system like Derbyshire's show caves. This is intimate, almost domestic in scale. The walk in takes minutes from the nearest accessible point, so families with younger kids won't face a trudge, though the final approach does involve some uneven ground. Allow twenty minutes to have a proper look around and take a few photos - longer if you're genuinely interested in the geology or local history of Nottinghamshire's sandstone landscape.

The real appeal here is to walkers and geology types rather than thrill-seekers. If you're camping at Bell Tent Village Parks or the Nottingham Camping and Caravanning Club Site, this works as a half-hour detour on a morning's walk rather than a destination in itself. What makes it worth the visit is the combination - combine it with other local caves and walking routes in the area, and you've got something proper to do.

Check locally before heading out, as access can be weather-dependent and there's no formal visitor infrastructure. It's free and unmanaged, which is refreshing but means go prepared.