Withe Pot

The walk down to Withe Pot is half the charm - a steep descent through woodland that opens onto a proper limestone cave entrance near Barnard Castle. It's a modest affair compared to some of the showier caverns in the Pennines, but that's rather the point. You get the genuine article here without the queues or the gift shop.

Inside, the cave itself is modest in scale. There's a small stream running through, and the roof soars up in places where natural light filters in through cracks in the rock. It's the kind of spot where you feel like you've stumbled onto something the tour operators haven't quite colonised yet. Children find it thrilling - there's enough to explore without it feeling dangerous, though the ground can be boggy and slippery after rain, so proper footwear matters.

The whole affair takes perhaps thirty minutes to an hour depending on how thoroughly you poke around. It's free to access, which is a pleasant surprise. It works best as part of a wider walk through the area rather than a destination in itself - combine it with a mooch around Barnard Castle town or pair it with nearby Leekworth Caravan Park or Mickleton Mill Caravan Park as a base for exploring the Teesdale countryside.

If you're after something genuinely off-the-beaten-path and don't mind getting a bit muddy, this is worth the detour. Peak summer might see more company, so go in spring or autumn for a quieter experience.