Explore some of the many underground features in the UK. Go behind the scenes in road tunnels, understand the thinking behind bunkers,
see the conditions early cave dwellers endured, be guided through mines and let experienced miners tell you about the conditions that they toiled in.
The photographs above are from Peak Cavern and Speedwell Cavern
in Derbyshire. Peak Cavern has a large entrance where occasional concert performances and daily rope making demonstrations take place.
Speedwell Cavern is flooded and the water level maintained so that tours can take place by boat. If you wish to visit these cave systems,
a good place to stay is the town of Castleton, that has 3 local cave systems with a castle sitting on the roof of one system.
Many caves and tunnels have been enhanced to make the experience more enjoyable. A good example of this is Wookey Hole in Somerset.
A visit to the cave system includes a guided tour. The caves contain storage for the famous Cheddar cheese. Outside there is a Fairy
garden, dinosaur trail, Circus museum, paper making demonstrations, a show, small hall of mirrors and a crazy golf course. The exhibit
even has a hotel with a roof shaped like a witches hat. Great day out for kids.
Mersey Tunnel Tours - Liverpool
Liverpool has two road tunnels under the river Mersey. The first tunnel to be created was the Birkenhead
tunnel which was mainly constructed by hand. Originally, the plan was to have two levels in the tunnel. However, the bottom level was never used. The tunnel
tour takes you below the main road to the tunnel below. The tour also shows you behind the scenes: how traffic is managed via the control room, the emergency
evacuation centres, the huge fan directing clean air into the tunnel and the infrastructure surrounding it. The tour last for approximately two and half hours.
The Mystery of the Williamson Tunnels - Liverpool
Liverpool has a labyrinth of tunnels in the Edge Hill area of the city. The tunnels have caused major problems for local builders as any
plans or maps of the network (if there were any) have been lost.
The tunnels were funded by Joseph Williamson a local businesman and constructed over a period of 35 years using local unskilled labour.
The reason for the construction is unknown and the most popular theory is that Joseph Williamson was providing employment for soldiers returning from the
Napoleonic war. Some have suggested that the tunnels were training grounds for Builders, Miners or Railway engineers.
The public are restricted to a very small section of the tunnels for health and safety reasons. However, it is believed the tunnels stretch for miles.
The tunnels are in 3 clusters and the search is on to find the linking tunnels. The tunnels are strange in nature and pass through the Red Sandstone bedrock
of Liverpool. The tunnels have brick built arched ceilings and are stacked 3 high in places. Sometimes, one arch sits on top of another arch which in turn
sits on another arch. It is highly likely that this is an example of engineers practicing their skills.
Work on the tunnel system was very secretive. On one occasion, while engineers were constructing the main rail link into
Liverpool's Lime Street station they accidentally discovered the tunnel system. A cutting was made through the Sandstone and
this cut straight across one of the main
tunnels. Railway workers were alarmed to discover men underground 'in the rock' and thought that they had stumbled across Hell.
Afterwards, many of the tunnel workers were offered jobs constructing the railway.
death of Williamson the tunnels became the property of the local council. The tunnels were
filled with rubbish and waste from local factories. Local people excavated 'waste shoots'
into the tunnels smashing through the roof of the arches. A number of the tunnels have collapsed
as a result. A society has been formed with the aim of excavating the tunnels. Occasionally this society has special events and members are taken into
the closed sections of tunnels.