Creswell Crags

What it’s like

A limestone gorge, Ice Age caves and rock art to hunt out, with a museum and lakeside walk to fill the rest of the day.

The big draw here is the cave tour through two chambers of Robin Hood Cave, where you're looking at genuine Ice Age rock art engravings rather than a replica behind glass. That's the bit a seven or eight-year-old will still be talking about at teatime. Under 5s aren't allowed on the tours though, so if you've got a toddler in tow they'll have to sit this one out while the rest of you go under.

Outside the caves there's a proper amount to wander through: the gorge itself, woodland, a meadow and a lake, all on paths that take a pushchair fine. The museum next to the visitor centre holds the Ice Age artefacts and is £5 for adults, free under 18, so a family of four with two kids isn't looking at a huge bill just to walk in.

The café does locally sourced food with an outside terrace, and they're relaxed about picnics in the meadow too, as long as you eat them outdoors rather than on the café seating. Dogs on leads are welcome around the gorge and meadow, and there's even doggy ice cream at the café if that swings it for you. Parking is £5 for the day, paid at machines by card, cash or the Ringo app, and Blue Badge holders park free.

Winter changes things a fair bit. From November through January it's weekends only, car park included, so a spontaneous Tuesday visit won't work in that window. The gorge itself is reachable year round via the public bridleway from the village, but there's no toilet access once the centre's shut, and the meadow gates lock at 5pm daily.

What’s on here

• MON12

  Online Talks

  18:00 · 16 more dates

  →

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

Cave tours suit school-age kids; under 5s sit those out but can walk the gorge

Booking

Cave tour pre-booking advised as places limited

Parking

£5 all day (7am-5pm) ANPR car park on site

Food

Café serving locally sourced food with indoor and covered outdoor seating

Picnics

Welcome in outdoor areas (meadow)

Pushchairs

Pushchair access to visitor centre, meadow and gorge

Wheelchairs

Most of site accessible to wheelchairs/mobility scooters including visitor centre and meadow/gorge

Dogs

On leads welcome outside café and around gorge and meadow

Getting there by bus or train

Creswell railway station (Robin Hood line) about 1 mile away

Parties

Two unique birthday party packages available

Worth knowing

Book one cave tour, get 10% off future cave tour vouchers (£1.50 adult, £1.00 child saving) valid 12 months

• Under 5s can't do the cave tour, so plan for someone to sit that one out with them
• November to January it's weekends only for the car park, museum, café and tours
• The meadow gates lock at 5pm daily even though the gorge path stays open via the bridleway
• Booking one cave tour gets you 10% off a future one, valid for 12 months
• No toilets once you're out in the gorge or meadow, so go before you set off

Plan your visit

Experiences

• Art In The Ice Age

  ages 5+

  Cave tour into Church Hole to see Ice Age engravings over 12,000 years old, discovered in 2003. Maximum 10 people; children must be 5 or older; under-18s must be accompanied by an adult; dogs not permitted.

  Accessibility: Caves accessed via steps, not wheelchair accessible; low ceilings and uneven ground.

• Life In The Ice Age

  ages 5+

  Cave tour into the two main chambers of Robin Hood Cave, exploring the lives of Ice Age people and animals. Maximum 25 people; children must be 5 or older; under-18s must be accompanied by an adult; dogs not permitted.

  Accessibility: Caves accessed via steps, not wheelchair accessible; low ceilings and uneven ground.

• Witch Marks

  ages 5+

  Cave tour into the upper chamber of Robin Hood Cave, viewing historic protective symbols ('witch marks') discovered in 2018. Maximum 10 people; children must be 5 or older; under-18s must be accompanied by an adult; dogs not permitted.

  Accessibility: Caves accessed via steps, not wheelchair accessible; low ceilings and uneven ground.

Also on site

• Crags Edge Cafe

  Cafe with indoor and covered outdoor seating overlooking trees and river, serving locally sourced food and drink; dogs on leads welcome outside.

• Creswell Crags Café

  outdoors

  Café serving locally sourced food, with indoor and covered outdoor seating; dogs welcome outside.

• Gift Shop

  Museum shop selling replica Ice Age artefacts, books, candles and gifts.

• Museum & Exhibitions

  indoors

  Permanent exhibition of Ice Age fossils, stone tools and Britain's only known Ice Age cave art.

Areas to explore

• Lake

  outdoors

  A reflective lake within the woodland and meadow landscape.

• The Caves

  indoors

  Limestone caves where early humans sheltered and carved rock art, explored via guided cave tours.

• The Gorge

  outdoors

  A prehistoric gorge with scenery to walk around, free to access.

• Walking Trails

  outdoors

  Trails and longer walking routes around the lake and local countryside.

• Walking Trails / Gorge & Lake

  outdoors

  Walking trails through woodland, meadow and around a reflective lake, plus the gorge bridleway.

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