Winnats pass: For sheer drama, nothing matches Winnats Pass, a winding road through a natural cleft, surrounded by towering, grass-covered limestone pinnacles – it’s just beautiful. This chain of artificial lakes was an ideal test ground for the aircraft that would carry the "bouncing bombs" used by the WWII "Dambusters" squad. It has, however, regularly been used in cycle races since at least the 1950s.

Winnats Pass. In May 2016 a couple in their twenties scrambled up the pass side and got stuck near the top. Winnats limestone gorge lies between the small towns of Hope and Sparrowpit to the west of the village of Castleton. See this Tour and others like it, or plan your own with komoot!

The "Black Arch" guards the entrance to the picturesque Glens of Antrim.

The starting point of the Tour is accessible with public transport. This hydraulic behavior turned out to be due to an overflow passage below the water level. Intermediate bike ride. It's pay parking, but is not expensive. The largest natural shaft in the UK is 464 feet deep and was itself discovered after many years of digging by cavers on the hillside above Speedwell.On the northern flank at the bottom of Winnats is a small cave that can be easily explored with a flashlight (do not be put off by the name, Suicide Cave) and throughout the pass are numerous old mine tunnels and small caves. They were saved after sending the mountain rescue team a selfie they had taken earlier.At the bottom of the pass is one of the four tourist caves in the Castleton area, and probably the most unusual, Speedwell Cavern. Good fitness required.

Winner will be selected at random on 09/01/2020. Night ascents are quite common.There is a large gravel car park at Speedwell Cavern.

Originally the miners could not plumb the bottom and because tipping mine waste into it did not raise the water level they assumed it was bottomless.

Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month.Atlas Obscura and our trusted partners use technology such as cookies on our website to personalise ads, support social media features, and analyse our traffic. A cavern system of semi-precious stones that not only mines rare minerals but also tourists' dollars. Select your desired options and 'Save' then copy & paste the code into your website.Support Mapometer from £8 (€9, $10 USD) per year we’ll activate embedded maps in your account and you’ll be able to use the site Ad free.If you're already a supporter please login to enable embeds.We used to allow embedded maps for free but Google made a change to the way they charge for maps which means we can no longer do this, sorry.Support Mapometer from £8 (€9, $10 USD) per year we’ll activate additional base maps (and you’ll get to use the site Ad free).Supporters can choose from road map, terrain, cycle map & satellite imagery.If you're already a supporter please login to enable the layer control.

The extremely grey columns of one of Mexico City's most iconic beltways are slowly gaining a bit of color. Visitors board the electrically powered boats after descending the long steep stone staircase.

The road to the summit averages over 10%, with a considerable section of 28% near the top. The Speedwell system is linked to the surface by Titan, the deepest natural shaft in the UK.

Winnats Pass back in early spring with mist hovering in the limestone gorge. These crude contraptions were used to aid in the mining of lead, silver and gold. To learn more or withdraw consent, please visit our The natural cavern is reached down more than 100 steps, and the tour is conducted by boat in the flooded lead miners’ tunnel. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book, Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day.No purchase necessary. The area has numerous fossils in the limestone, but it's a protected area and collection is not permitted. However, a more recent explanation is that it was a ravine between the coral reefs, while the valley was formed by erosion after changes in elevation due to tectonic activity. On my ride today I encountered 'The Beast' as I will refer to it at around 20 miles in after averaging around 15mph into a stiff breeze. A centuries-old iron mine is now a paradise for explorers, divers, and spelunkers. Please click below to consent to the use of this technology while browsing our site. There are public restrooms at the car park, and many hiking trails lead directly up and into the pass from there.Nearby is Peak Cavern, and there is a price discount available for entry into both sites.Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the world’s hidden wonders. Some of England's last cave dwellers lived and worked within this huge cave. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Plotted with the plotaroute.com route planner.