Three spectacular slate-quarry caverns — Rydal Cave, Cathedral Cave and Hodge Close. All free, all open access, all walk-up. Directions, parking and how to visit each one.
The complete guide
The Lake District's "caves" aren't natural caverns — they're the dramatic legacy of centuries of slate quarrying, and they're some of the most atmospheric places in Cumbria. The big three are Rydal Cave above Rydal Water, Cathedral Cave in Little Langdale, and the flooded Hodge Close Quarry. This is the complete guide to visiting all three.
And the thing everyone gets wrong first: they're all free. No tickets, no booking, no opening hours — you just turn up and walk in. People search "Rydal Cave tickets" or "Cathedral Cave reviews" expecting a paid attraction; they're open-access sites on National Trust and common land. They're also genuinely family-friendly — local families visit them all the time. The only real care needed is around the deep water at Hodge Close and the dark connecting tunnel at Cathedral Cave, both covered below.
The big three
Each links through to a full guide with directions, parking, postcodes and how to visit.
📍 Near Ambleside · 🚶 30–40 min · 🐕 Dog-friendly
The most popular and accessible of the three — a vast slate cavern above Rydal Water with a shallow pool at its mouth that people stepping-stone across for the classic photo. Reached on the lovely Rydal Water / Loughrigg Terrace walk. The family favourite.
Rydal Cave — walk, parking & how to visit
📍 Little Langdale · 🚶 30–45 min in · 🔦 Torch for one tunnel
Also called Cathedral Quarry or Cathedral Cavern — a breathtaking 40-foot chamber lit by two natural "windows," hence the name. Reached via the packhorse Slater's Bridge. Note: the main chamber is open, but a recent rockfall has closed the upper tunnels — follow on-site signs.
Cathedral Cave & Hodge Close guide
📍 Little Langdale · 📸 The "skull" arch · ⚠️ Deep pool
A dramatic flooded slate quarry — a huge arch above a deep green pool. From the right angle the arch and its reflection look like a giant skull. A spectacular, safe photography spot from the edge; the pool itself is very deep and not for swimming. Often combined with Cathedral Cave.
Hodge Close — the skull & how to visitSensible, not scary
These are family days out, not danger zones — fine unless you do something daft, the same as any fell top. Three things genuinely matter.
Rydal Cave needs none. At Cathedral Cave the first tunnel is fine in daylight, but one connecting tunnel is over 100m long and genuinely dark — a phone torch is plenty.
Wet slate is slick — sturdy footwear, and take the rocks slowly after rain. The entrance pool at Rydal looks deep in photos but is shallow; it's for paddling and pictures, not swimming.
The Hodge Close pool is brilliant to look at and dangerous to enter — very deep, used for technical diving, with a history of fatalities. Enjoy it from the edge; keep children back. Don't swim or jump.
Keep exploring
20 spots with directions — note which quarry pools are NOT for swimming.
The best walks by area, difficulty and type — many pass these caves.
The off-beat Lake District — caves, ruins and hidden corners.
Including the Little Langdale and Tilberthwaite lanes near the caves.
Common questions
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