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▶Jugholes Cave
A half-natural, half-mined Peak District cave system packed with chambers, old shafts, and centuries-old lead-mining history.
About
Part natural cavern, part 18th-century lead mine, with passages that thread through chambers separated by crawls and climbs down the wooded Masson Hill.
Jugholes Cave sits above Salters Lane on the wooded hillside of Masson Hill, accessed via a public footpath through Jugholes Wood. The system is part cave, part former lead mine, and first appeared on a map of the Calf Tail Mine title as far back as 1767. An upper cavern entrance leads cavers through a large main chamber, from which mine levels branch off in several directions. A downclimb drops into the lower Motorway passage, threading through a succession of chambers separated by crawls, climbs, and squeezes, with an adit exit further down the hill. The cave floor in one passage is formed from basalt from an ancient volcanic eruption, and there are vivid green mineral colours and modest speleothem formations towards the back of the system.
This is a dry cave, so a full wetsuit is not required, but a robust oversuit, wellies, helmet, and headtorch are essential. A caving or climbing harness is useful for the laddered sections, and an adjustable spanner is needed to open the gate on the lower adit entrance. No prior permission is required to enter; the mineral owner Tarmac Roadstone asks that all cavers enter at their own risk. The site is part of the Masson Hill SSSI and is subject to a Derbyshire Caving Association Conservation Plan.
Parking is extremely limited: do not use the obvious layby near Jugholes Wood, which is a passing place, and instead use the wider section of road at the junction with the Masson Lees quarry track. Car sharing is strongly encouraged, especially at weekends, to protect long-term access to the site. The Miners Standard pub at Winster and various options in Matlock Bath are popular post-cave stops.
No prior permission or booking required. Cavers enter at own risk under the mineral owner's standing notice. Suitable for novice and intermediate cavers with a group leader; requires helmet, headtorch, oversuit, wellies, harness, and an adjustable spanner for the lower adit gate.
Free (no charge)
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Tips
0What clothing and equipment do I need to bring?+
A robust one-piece caving oversuit, wellies, gloves, a helmet, and a head torch are essential. Because it is a dry cave a full wetsuit is not needed, but bring warm layers underneath your oversuit. A caving or climbing harness is useful for the laddered sections, and you will need an adjustable spanner to open the gate on the lower adit entrance.
Do I need to book in advance or get permission to visit?+
No booking or prior permission is required, the cave is freely accessible via a public footpath through Jugholes Wood off Salters Lane. The mineral owner, Tarmac Roadstone, asks that all cavers enter entirely at their own risk.
How difficult is the cave, and how long does a visit take?+
Jugholes is a moderately challenging system with crawls, squeezes, climbs, and a downclimb into the lower Motorway passage, making it more suited to cavers than casual walkers. The system is extensive, and experienced visitors report spending several hours exploring both the upper and lower series thoroughly.
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Good to know
Activity details
- Duration4 to 6 hours
- Age range16+
- Mondaymidnight to 11:59pm
- Tuesdaymidnight to 11:59pm
- Wednesdaymidnight to 11:59pm
- Thursdaymidnight to 11:59pm
- Fridaymidnight to 11:59pm
- Saturdaymidnight to 11:59pm
- Sundaymidnight to 11:59pm
Features
- Boots Recommended
- Cave
- Dog Friendly
- Family Friendly
- Parking
- Waymarked Route
- Woodland
Packages and pricing
1Prices are accurate as of 24 July 2026.
No prior permission or booking required. Cavers enter at own risk under the mineral owner's standing notice. Suitable for novice and intermediate cavers with a group leader; requires helmet, headtorch, oversuit, wellies, harness, and an adjustable spanner for the lower adit gate.
Free (no charge)Activity details
Reviews
No reviews yet.
Tips
0Questions
6What clothing and equipment do I need to bring?+
A robust one-piece caving oversuit, wellies, gloves, a helmet, and a head torch are essential. Because it is a dry cave a full wetsuit is not needed, but bring warm layers underneath your oversuit. A caving or climbing harness is useful for the laddered sections, and you will need an adjustable spanner to open the gate on the lower adit entrance.
Do I need to book in advance or get permission to visit?+
No booking or prior permission is required, the cave is freely accessible via a public footpath through Jugholes Wood off Salters Lane. The mineral owner, Tarmac Roadstone, asks that all cavers enter entirely at their own risk.
How difficult is the cave, and how long does a visit take?+
Jugholes is a moderately challenging system with crawls, squeezes, climbs, and a downclimb into the lower Motorway passage, making it more suited to cavers than casual walkers. The system is extensive, and experienced visitors report spending several hours exploring both the upper and lower series thoroughly.
Where should I park, and how do I get to the entrance?+
Parking is very limited on Salters Lane, do not use the obvious layby near Jugholes Wood, which is a passing place, but instead use the wider section of road at the junction with the Masson Lees quarry track. Car sharing is strongly encouraged, as large numbers of vehicles cause problems for local businesses and could jeopardise future access. The cave is reached via a public footpath through Jugholes Wood from Salters Lane.
How easy is it to navigate inside, and is it safe to go alone?+
The system is notoriously complex, and even experienced visitors with a survey have reported getting lost in its many chambers, dead ends, and branching passages. It is strongly advisable to go with someone who has visited before, carry markers, and download the free Jugholes Interpretation Pack from the Derbyshire Caving Association website before your visit.
Is the site protected, and are there any conservation rules I should follow?+
Yes, Jugholes Cave sits within the Masson Hill SSSI and is subject to a Derbyshire Caving Association Conservation Plan, so visitors should take care not to damage formations, minerals, or historic mine artefacts. The lower adit gate should always be properly closed and the bolt fully tightened when leaving.