Penyghent Pot

You'll need proper walking boots and a head torch to get the most from Penyghent Pot, a sinkhole cave system tucked into the limestone landscape above Settle. It's not a show cave with paths and handrails - this is the real thing, raw and unmarked, best tackled with someone who knows the fell well or via a local guide.

The walk up takes about forty minutes from the car park near Horton in Ribblesdale. Once you're down there, you're in a different world entirely. Water runs through calcite formations, and the silence is properly unnerving in the best way. It's genuinely special, though not for the casual visitor expecting visitor facilities. Families with young kids will struggle here; teenagers and proper walkers will love it.

Allow three to four hours total, including the walk and exploring inside. There's no charge that we could confirm, but check locally in Settle first - access can vary depending on conditions and farmer cooperation. Winter floods make it impassable, so summer's your window.

If you're based at Ribblesdale Pods or one of the other caravan parks in the area - Orcaber Farm and Philpin Farm are both close by - this fits perfectly into a walking holiday. Pair it with Pen-y-ghent itself, which dominates the skyline, or push on to Whernside. The Three Peaks Challenge route uses these fells, so you're in proper hill-walking country. Just don't underestimate what you're getting into.