Photos by Ian Wilton-Jones, Peter Wilton-Jones, Tarquin, and others. Edits and gallery effects by Tarquin.
This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful caves in UK. Starting off as a good showcave (with some reasonable formations), the real cave is then guarded by a series of lakes, some large passages, and The Long Crawl (which is not as bad as its name suggests). After that, it splits into two levels, with the upper being stunningly decorated with long straws, bizzare columns, helictites, crystal pools and calcite rafts. The Lower Series contains almost no formations (apart from some nice curtains early on), but makes up for it with some equally impressive phreatic tubes. The two routes join again through the cold and deep Green Canal, with a long streamway heading off to the north.
This gallery is very much incomplete, and the cave deserves entire books, not simple galleries like this, but I shall try to add pictures to this gallery when I can.
Straw Chamber - before The Long Crawl
Straw Chamber stalagmites
And some dancing stalagmites
The Monk, a landmark stalagmite (this picture was carefully taken in the dark without touching any of the formations -
it is possible, but I warn you to avoid trying to copy it)
Straws in the roof of Monk Hall
The famous Cloud Chamber
A cloud in Cloud Chamber
Another cloud