Nestled in the Peak District is a cave that will leave visitors feeling like they have entered a 'subterranean world'. Poole's Cavern in Buxton sits just off the A53 and it's always 7C inside. And it's not the only attraction in that part of the town with Go Ape next door alongside the lovely Buxton Park - all accessed from Green Lane.
There's also woodland trails and picnic areas. Depending on where in North Staffordshire you are it's not far at all. If you're in the very north of the city then you could be there in around 30 minutes by jumping on the A53 and going through Leek and over the hills into Buxton.
READ: North Staffordshire beauty spot with canopy walk, giant spider, and 'hobbit hut' | It's unassuming from the outside but the reserve boasts something for everyone READ: The Peak District beauty spot that's a must-visit to watch the sunrise | It's become a favourite for those seeking to witness a breathtaking sunrise On the outskirts of the Peak District, a surreal subterranean world exists. This is a place where sunlight never penetrates, peculiar formations dangle from the ceiling and the temperature remains a steady 7C. This was the underworld I found myself exploring on a summer afternoon.
My destination was Poole's Cavern, near Buxton, an enormous carboniferous limestone cavern that writer Charles Cotton dubbed one of the seven 'Wonders of the Peak'. Poole's Cavern has been drawing visitors for centuries. It is rumoured that Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, visited.