Caving activities

Opening times

Feeling more adventurous? We arrange deep level

visits for pre-booked groups of around 10 people.
Well supply miners helmets, lamps and an
experienced guide. These trips are safe, great fun
and very dirty! Call for details. AALA licensed.

From 16 February to 31 October,

daily, 10am to 5pm (last entry).

Special openings
Christmas Fantasy
1 to 24 December, and 27 to 31 December, 10am to 5pm.
We can open at other times by prior arrangement.

Clearwell
Caves
The Royal Forest of Deans

Iron Mining Museum

A40

GLOUCESTER

ye

er
W

MONMOUTH

Riv

36
A41

Cinderford
8

A4

Forest
of Dean

31

er

5
M

ist

ol

23

To

Br

M4 To London

CLEARWELL
CAVES
P

CLEARWELL

M4

of disabled access

23

recommended

Please call for details

B4

Ample free parking

Stout footwear is strongly

28

M4

B42

A4

B42

ev

B4

Riv
e

A4

rS

66

Lydney

B422

St
Briavels

CHEPSTOW

Reach out and

touch the mining
heritage of the
Royal Forest
of Dean. Take
the route made
by miners over
thousands of years as they followed the
iron ore deep underground. These natural
caves cover 245 hectares (600 acres) with
miles of passageways and impressive
caverns. At Clearwell Caves, you
wander through nine large
caverns some big
enough to hold
parties for 350
people! Or come
as a group and
be led through
the caves by one
of our experienced and
entertaining guides.

COLEFORD

A4

B42

28

see detail map

Coleford

CLEARWELL
CAVES

Follow brown tourist

signs from Coleford
town centre

Group organiser
Please call to book your guided visit.
Schools and youth groups a speciality.
Clearwell Caves
Nr Coleford
Royal Forest of Dean
Gloucestershire GL16 8JR
Telephone (01594) 832535
www.clearwellcaves.com
Designed and produced
by Heritage House Group,
Norfolk D-91742-3/09

Caving and mining exploration details

can be confirmed by calling the Licensing
Authority on 02920 755715

family adventure
A
impressive caverns
Nine
A great underground experience

BAT ChURN

BLACKSMITh

The story of iron

years ago
of years,
up to the present day, is told in displays throughout
PILLAR
ChURN
the caves.
AND LAKe
BLACKSMITh

TeA ROOM

BAT ChURN
OLD ChURN

LeVeL OF ShOP
AND eNTRANCe
ChRISTMAS
ChURN

eXIT TO ShOP

Above ground

Christmas fantasy

We have a fascinating gift shop selling unusual

TO and
WORKING
gifts, books
mineral jewellery, and you can
FACe
also buy the ochres mined here. Enjoy delicious
snacks in our caf
MINeRS
or, if the
COeweather
is fine, there is a
large picnic area.

Enjoy Clearwell Caves, then come back again

during December when they are transformed
into a magical world
of light and sound.
A very special
family event.

OLD ChURN

eXIT
ShOP
FROZeN
WATeRFALL
TheTOformation
of iron
deposits millions of
ChURN
andPOTTeRy
how it has been mined for thousands
ChURN

FROZeN WATeRFALL
ChURN

POTTeRy
ChURN

BARBeQUe ChURN

TO WORKING
FACe

PILLAR
ChURN
AND LAKe

MINeRS
COe

BARBeQUe ChURN
ChAIN
LADDeR
ChURN

TO DeeP
WORKINGS

AREA BELOW
GROUND LEVEL

AREA BELOW
GROUND LEVEL

VISITOR CENTRE

VISITOR CENTRE

Iron ores have

been mined
at Clearwell
Caves for
thousands of
years. You can
still meet local
Freeminers here
men whose ancient birthright entitles them to
dig for minerals within the Hundred of St Briavels
and the Forest of Dean. The iron from these caves
has been used over the centuries to make tools,
weapons and machinery. Some iron ore occurs as
powdered oxides red, yellow, purple and
brown. Highly valued as pigments, we
still mine them here today.

ChAIN
LADDeR
ChURN

Recommended by the
Daily Telegraph

TO DeeP
WORKINGS

10C
50F

Whatever the weather,

the temperature
underground is
always a constant and
comfortable 10C (50F).