Notts 2

The cave mouth opens into a hillside near Carnforth with the kind of entrance that makes you stop and stare - properly dramatic, limestone-framed, the sort of place where you half expect a cave painting or two. Notts 2 is a genuine working show cave, though it's nowhere near as touristy as some of the bigger names in the region. You get genuine caving rather than a gift shop experience, which some will love and others will find a bit sparse.

Inside, the passages are tight in places - not nightmare-tight, but enough to remind you that you're actually underground and dependent on a decent torch. The formations are real and unadorned. Stalactites, stalagmites, the usual geological theatre, but what strikes you most is how quiet it gets once you're properly in. No piped music, no ambient lighting effects. Just you, the cave, and the drip of water that's been doing this work for millennia.

Family groups should manage it fine if the kids aren't spooked by enclosed spaces - it's probably a 45-minute job depending on fitness and how much time you want to spend gawping at formations. Proper cavers and geology enthusiasts will get far more from it than casual visitors. The lack of commercial polish means you need to check ahead on access and current conditions before heading over from Carnforth.

If you're staying at Primrose Glamping Pods or Philpin Farm Campsite nearby, it's a solid half-day addition to a walking holiday in the area rather than a destination in itself.