Poole's Cavern, Show cave in Buxton Country Park, Derbyshire, United Kingdom.
Description
This limestone cave extends approximately 310 meters underground and displays remarkable stalactites, stalagmites, and mineral formations created over two million years through continuous water erosion and mineral deposits.
History
Archaeological excavations in the 1980s revealed that the cave was inhabited during the Bronze Age around 3,000 to 1,200 BCE, and it became one of the Seven Wonders of the Peak as listed by Thomas Hobbes in the 17th century.
Culture
Local legends associate the cave with a 15th-century outlaw named Poole who used it as a hideout, and it gained cultural significance when Mary Queen of Scots allegedly explored the cavern during her visits to the area.
Practical
The cave operates daily from 9:45 AM to 5 PM with guided tours every half hour during peak season, featuring modern lighting systems and wheelchair accessibility for the first section of the cavern.
Did you know?
The cave contains distinctively colored 'poached egg' stalagmites caused by minerals from nearby lime-burning activities, and visitors can experience complete darkness when lights are turned off during special heritage tours.
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