Long Scar East Cave

The entrance to Long Scar East Cave sits tucked into the hillside near Richmond, and it's the kind of place that rewards you for bothering to find it. You're looking at a proper limestone cavern with a stream running through it - the water's cold, clear, and loud enough to echo off the rock walls in a way that makes you feel genuinely underground rather than just standing in a hole.

It's short, maybe 100 metres if you're being generous, but that's rather the point. This isn't a tourist cave with electric lights and handrails. You'll need a decent torch and you won't be standing upright the whole way - there's a section where you're basically crawling through passages on your hands and knees. Kids aged eight upwards tend to love it; younger ones might find it claustrophobic. Adults who fancy something more adventurous than the usual tourist circuit will get a real kick from it.

Allow about an hour including the approach walk. It's free to visit but you'll need proper footwear and a torch - wet trainers and a phone light won't cut it. Spring or early autumn are best; avoid it after heavy rain when the stream gets temperamental. The cave entrance is a decent half-day outing when you're based at either Usha Gap Farm or Hawes Caravan Club, both within easy driving distance. Pair it with a walk along the River Swale and you've got a proper morning sorted.