Poole’s Cavern is a limestone show cave in Buxton, known for its striking stalactites and stalagmites.

This gallery shows formations and historic inscriptions inside the cave. Surveys have also recorded bats using the cavern, and the British Cave Science Centre studies life such as bacteria on cave surfaces. See the site description and cave science information.

Lime waste on Grin Low has enriched water entering the cave and helped some stalagmites grow unusually quickly. Read more from the British Cave Science Centre.

A lit walkway in a high cave chamber
Photo credit: Poole’s Cavern.Stalactites.
Thin stalactites hanging above rising stalagmites
Photo credit: Poole’s Cavern. Straws and Stalagmites…
Close-up of small rimstone pools in a cave
Photo credit: Poole’s Cavern. Rimstone pool formations.
Stalactites on the ceiling and stalagmites on the floor
Photo credit: Poole’s Cavern. Stalactites and stalagmites – do you know the difference?
A person standing near rock formations and a cave walkway
Photo credit: Poole’s Cavern.
Inscribed names and dates on a rock wall
Photo credit: Poole’s Cavern. Historic inscriptions in the cave; the date is unverified.
White mineral formations on the side of a cave
Photo credit: Poole’s Cavern.
Stalagmites and stalactites in a dark cave
Photo credit: Poole’s Cavern.
Small formations on an uneven cave floor
Photo credit: Poole’s Cavern.

Orange-tipped stalagmites in the cave A cave passage illuminated with purple lighting  Stalagmites rising beneath a cave ceiling Visitors looking at cave formations  Inscription on a cave wallPale stalactites hanging from a cave ceiling

For current visitor information, see Poole’s Cavern.

Photo credits: Poole’s Cavern and Buxton Country Park