Discovering treasures UNDERGROUND

Sightseeing in Britain is a popular pursuit, but don’t forget there are also some extraordinary things to find under our feet

- SALLY ROBINSON

Go Below, North Wales

Explore the deepest publicly accessible place in Britain in the disused slate mines of Snowdonia, up to 1,300 feet below ground. Go Below runs adrenaline-fuelled trips through the old Cwmorthin quarry. Led by experienced cavers, visitors negotiate the caverns by a mix of climbing, boat and zip wires, including Goliath – at 130 metres, it’s the world’s longest underground zip wire.

Find out more at go-below.co.uk

Caves in the Yorkshire Dales

The Dales have some of the most impressive caving systems in the UK, incorporating over 2,500 caves filled with magical stalactites and spectacular waterfalls.

The best way to see them is by organised tour – Yorkshire Dales Guides runs an introductory half-day exploration at Long Churn, accessible to everyone and led by an experienced caver. For shorter guided tours, try the show caves at Stump Cross (50 mins) and White Scar (80 mins), which are equally enthralling.

Find out more at yorkshiredalesguides.co.uk and yorkshiredales.org.uk

Churchill War Rooms, London

Beneath the streets of Westminster in central London lies a fascinating warren of dimly lit corridors, bunkers and secret meeting rooms, the epicentre of Churchill’s World War Two operation.

The historic War Rooms are unchanged since they were vacated at the end of the war in 1945: a calendar on the wall of one room chillingly showing the date – 16 August.