Wet Sink (Slaughter Stream Cave)

The stream disappears into darkness just above Coleford, swallowed by a low cave mouth that looks far more dramatic once you're actually standing in front of it. Wet Sink - also called Slaughter Stream Cave - is a proper caver's spot rather than a tourist attraction with a car park and a gift shop. You're essentially following a small stream into the hillside, which means you'll get wet. Trainers with grip are essential, not optional.

What makes it worth the visit is the immediate descent into another world. The cave runs for a decent stretch underground, with the stream your only guide through passages that feel genuinely remote even though civilisation is minutes away. It's not vast or cathedral-like - this is intimate, underground hiking rather than show-cave grandeur. Experienced walkers and families with older kids who don't mind getting soaked will find it absorbing for an hour or so. Younger children tend to lose interest quickly once the novelty of wading through water wears off.

There's no formal admission charge because there's nowhere to collect one - just rock up and in. The real consideration is timing: go after dry weather if possible, though that rather defeats the purpose of a stream cave. Spring is probably the worst time unless you fancy a proper wade.

If you're camping at Bracelands or Greenacres, both very close by, this makes a morning diversion from forest walks in the Dean. It's the kind of thing you either love - a genuine bit of caving without needing rope or expertise - or skip entirely. Worth trying if you've got the gear and don't mind a thorough soaking.