One of the most famous features of the Peak District is its geology, celebrated worldwide by potholers and cavers. Thankfully, you don’t have to don a miner’s lamp and orange dungarees to enjoy some of Europe’s finest caves; guided tours will lead you to deep inside the bellies’ of these ancient caverns. Each one has its own story, legend and unique characteristics, making them all a venerable underground treasure trove.

1 THE DEVIL'S ARSE
Peak Cavern, in Castleton, is less salubriously known and actively marketed as the Devil’s Arse, the name given to it by the men who for centuries made rope in its massive entrance. It was the venue for this local craft up until 1974. Friendly and informative guides lead you down into the caverns, and you’ll see how millions of years of water and rock have carved out the fantastic caves and hollows you see today. As you are taken deeper into the bowels of the cave, you’ll come to the siphon from where the cavern gets its other name.
When storm tides recede, water and air are sucked down the siphon. The noise that the movement generates can be so great that it sends audible vibrations through the cave’s solid rock floor – hence the name the Devil’s Arse.
Further down the cave you’ll see the Inner Styx, a pond where you can sometimes spot two species of freshwater shrimps. Further down the cavern you arrive at the area where the original rope makers used to put on a spectacular fireworks display for Victorian visitors.

2 SPEEDWELL CAVERN
If you want a different way to explore a cave, try Speedwell Cavern, also in Castleton. Your visit begins with a descent of 105 steps from an almost hidden cave entrance to an incredible subterranean canal system where your board a barge. Here, you float silently through tunnels dug by hand for lead mining. At the Halfway House you may have to pull into this passing place to let an oncoming boat through. Your trip ends at an amazing natural cavern and underground lake called the Bottomless Pit.

3 BLUE JOHN'S A GEM
Still not tired of caving? Good, because there’s another cave visitors to Castleton must explore. Blue John Cavern gets its name from the beautiful Blue John stone that is found within. This stone has, for centuries, been mined and transformed into bowls, ornaments and jewellery. It is thought the blue and yellow streaked stone’s name comes from the French bleu et jaune. Vases found in the ruins of Pompeii are thought to be crafted from Blue John stone.
Here you can see craftsmen at work in the craft shop as part of your tour. You can also visit Lord Mulgrave’s Dining Room, where the peer entertained his workforce. There you can see fine veins of Blue John stone in its natural state in the stalactites and stalagmites, plus the Grand Crystallised Cavern with a multicoloured dome, and the Waterfall Cavern. Blue John takes much skill to mine and craft, and it is correspondingly expensive. While jewellery is more affordable, ornaments made of the stone are very expensive.

4 TREAK CLIFF CAVERN
Blue John isn’t exclusive to Blue John Cavern – it’s also found at Treak Cliff Cavern in Castleton. These are the only two places in the world where the stone occurs naturally. In Treak Cliff Cavern, not only can you see how and where it was mined, but you can feast your eyes on many underground limestone cave formations, stalactites and stalagmites in Fairyland and the Dream Cave, or multicoloured rock in Aladdin’s Cave. The one to look out for is a formation called The Stork, which appears to stand on one leg.
Treak Cliff Cavern still mines Blue John stone and you can buy items from the shop. You can also browse in the Castleton Gift Shop, back in the town, which has a huge selection of Blue John jewellery and dishes. Guided tours of the cavern take about 40 minutes. Perhaps a good idea for children is for them to take part in one of the special events held throughout the year and during most of the school holidays, including workshops on learning to polish your own Blue John stone.

5 THE TREASURE OF POOLE
Some miles away in Buxton lies another cavern well worth a visit. Poole’s Cavern, opened to the public in 1853, has a long and diverse history, with its first visitors arriving more than 5000 years ago when prehistoric man sheltered here in the entrance to the cavern. More recently, archaeological excavations in the 1980s have discovered around 4000 ancient remains in the Roman Chamber.
The cavern takes its name from the legend of a medieval highwayman of the same name who lived around 1440. Poole is said to have taken refuge in the cave and buried his treasure there. It’s yet to be found, so keep your eyes peeled. There are other attractions too, including the round and flat ‘poached egg’ stalagmites, and the Dome, Derbyshire’s longest stalactite. There’s also the Flitch of Bacon and the Grand Cascade, colourful mineral falls frozen in time. The guide will also keep you hooked with legends, mysteries and ghost stories. In fact, there have been several sightings of the ghosts of a man in a top hat and a woman in a long brown dress. You have been warned…