Treak Cliff Cavern

Treak Cliff Cavern, subterranean limestone cavern in Derbyshire, near the village of Castleton in the Peak District National Park. The cavern was formerly part of the lead-mining industry in the vicinity. Veins of the famous Blue John semi-precious gemstone, a form of fluorspar, were discovered there by miners in the 1750s. The name Blue John is taken from the French bleu jaune, meaning blue-yellow; around 250 kg (550 lb) of Blue John is still mined each year.

Today a visitor attraction, the Treak Cliff Cavern has a number of draws including the Fossil Cave, Aladdin’s Cave, Witches Cave, the Fairyland Grotto with frozen waterfall, stalactites and stalagmites in the Dream Cave, the Seven Dwarfs, St Paul’s, and the Stork, a limestone formation resembling a stork on one leg.

See also Peak Cavern; Speedwell Cavern.