Jingling Hole

You'll need to be a proper caver or at least willing to scramble about in mud to make much of Jingling Hole, a limestone cave system tucked into the Pennines near Kirkby Stephen. It's not a polished visitor attraction with handrails and gift shops - this is the real thing, where the cave entrance opens onto a stream and the passage twists upward through tight sections that demand respect.

The name supposedly comes from the jingling of coins dropped by medieval pilgrims, though honestly the place feels too raw for such romantic notions. You're looking at perhaps an hour's exploration if you know what you're doing, possibly longer if you're mapping the system properly. It's free to visit, naturally enough - access is just there on the hillside. Bring a proper torch, wear clothes you don't mind trashing, and go with someone who's been before if you're not experienced in caves.

Family groups will find it underwhelming unless the kids are genuinely keen cavers. Walkers doing the Pennine Way or based at nearby Gillcumber Glamping Pods, though, might find it worth the detour as a bit of underground variation to break up the hill walking. The Kirkby Stephen area has plenty of cave systems and limestone features scattered about, so if Jingling Hole grabs you, there's more to explore locally.

Really, you need to be a caving enthusiast to get the most from it. Casual tourists should probably save their time for somewhere with better signage and fewer mud-soaked trousers.