Lovely visit to meet Father Christmas and all his helpers. The caves looked amazing and the woodland creatures were fab. It was our first visit but we will definitely be back to visit after Christmas as my little boy was very interested in all the old machinery. Thank you! 😊

The family went through the Mine and we did like it. It was shorter than we thought and it was nice there was things for the children to look for. Very dark and cold down there as expected. Lovely gift shop with Nice friendly staff. Nice cafe there too, where we got a lovely hot chocolate.

Very good if you want to do caves and it's history. I have also done the deep caves as well couple of years ago. Still a worth while place to visit.

Absolutely spectacular Christmas display ‘Archie and the Unicorn’ at Clearwell Caves. There were so many Forest creatures in multiple caves and named parcels everywhere so the search for family names is fun. The number of trees underground is amazing and everywhere you turn there is a beautiful scene.

Great experience. We were walking underground for around an hour, you can read as much or as little info as you like. No tight spaces to worry about.

Many thanks to our guide for making it an experience! Around 3 hours of walking, crawling, climbing etc around the caves, learning about the history and geology. Maybe it was a bit long for some kids but still very much enjoyable for most! The overalls, helmets and shoes were dirty and smelly- so be prepared for this 😅 Otherwise- a highly recommended experience that you won't find anywhere. Thank you 🙏🏻🌸

Amazing cave. Very big, plenty to do and explore. Nice little mining museum as well. Definitely worth a visit. Just remember to bring appropriate shoes with good grip and a jumper as it's very cool in there.

Really interesting experience, I felt like there was more to explore and see than advertised. You could get up close to it all. The story behind it all was riveting and the museum and items from the mine was very well presented. There's a cafe, toilets, free car park and lovely mining/caves. All you need! Nice to hear the history of mining iron.

This is a gem of a place to visit, a very interesting insight into the mines, over many years. The underwater fish lights are a must see. You can loose 10 minutes just watching them alone. A great little gift shop that sells Kendall mint cake(winner👍) Also a cafe with some lovely snacks and coffee on the menu. We shall return again one day and do the caving experience, once i have talked the missis into doing it. 🤗

Came on a Saturday afternoon as a second stop on a day out. Plenty of room in the car park and a short walk down the path to the entrance. We booked online and it was very straight forward and easy. No wait at all and was relatively quiet. You enter the caves via a short museum like room with some history and old machinery. Once you enter the cave it is quite impressive and more than what you expect it to be. We liked the touches of having mine carts and bits and pieces of the past dotted around which gave it a bit extra. In places it does get slightly dark for taking pictures so remember your flash. It goes on for quite a distance so took about an hour in total to get around. Near the end there is a pool of water with some light displays in the water and on the wall showing some animals and stuff which my boy thought was great. Nice little usual gift shop at the end. There is also a nice little cafe on site with reasonably priced sandwiches etc which was all delicious. Extra tip get the special suasage roll. It was amazing.

Probably would take the average person 30-45 mins to go around it. Would have preferred to see more of the mine history than the exhibition sculptures. Probably get your money's worth of you have small children who would like to use the play area. Reasonably priced cafe

For my first visit to a cave I absolutely loved it. Great set up. They had wonderful sculptures when I was there which kept my 12 year old really interested which was great

Great place, very informative and well displayed. Kids enjoyed hunting for the nests of eggs.

Had a nice stroll around these caves/mines. Really nice place to visit would highly recommend a visit. The kids enjoyed hunting for the gold coins that are scattered around the place helping to keep them distracted. The highlight was large pond area near the exit could spend ages just enjoying the water and quiet time.

The children enjoyed it! Santa did not hand the children a present they were given choice...I personally did not like this option and the gifts weren't wrapped. No social distancing in the queue to see Santa. One of though experiences when once is enough!

Amazing time seeing Santa and having a hot chocolate in the underground cafe would be amazing day out without Santa but at Christmas it made it extra special. thank you to everyone involved making the day a very memorable one would highly recommend to anyone to have a day here especially if you book for Christmas!!

A really good place to visit. Plenty of information boards dotted around. Can be a bit slippery in places but sensible footwear should avoid any slips. Take your time walking around as you may find you get round too quickly.

I was pleasantly amazed!!! There's also a tearoom and shop (and clean toilets) 5 minutes before you reach the castle

Well set up and an interesting walk around but probably not worth it for children under 5 unless they're really interested in caves or mines. Looks like a good venue for events.

Cave and Mine. Interesting mining history with tales of Billie boys, widow makers, underground Jurassic lakes, Nellies and lung tonics. High grade Ochre colour variations for paintings.

Clearwell Caves, located in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England, is a fascinating underground attraction that offers a unique glimpse into the region's geological and industrial history. These natural caves, also known as "iron mines," have a rich and diverse history. The caves are famous for their stunning natural formations, including intricate stalactites and stalagmites, which have formed over thousands of years. As you explore the underground passages, you'll be awed by the sheer beauty and scale of these geological wonders. What makes Clearwell Caves even more intriguing is their industrial heritage. The caves were once used for iron mining, and visitors can learn about the tools and techniques used by miners in the past. The underground museum provides insight into the challenging working conditions that miners endured. The caves also have historical significance, having been used as a storage facility during World War II. This adds another layer of interest to the site, as you can explore its wartime history. Today, Clearwell Caves offers guided tours that take you deep into the earth, providing a memorable and educational experience for visitors of all ages. It's a unique blend of natural beauty, industrial history, and wartime heritage, making it a must-visit attraction for those exploring the Forest of Dean region.

Great for a family visit. The history and context of the place is very well laid out - the focus on the child labour was particularly interesting.

Great. Really enjoyed it. The cave pool with light projections on the way back up and out was amazing. Bear in mind it gets colder the lower you go - so take a jumper/hoodie/light coat 👍

Spent about 1.5 hours inside. Little museum at start for context. Lots of little caves/mines to wander through. Nicely lit. Reading the info boards helps understand the history. Shop at end. Free parking up a slope. There is an outside area but couldn't experience it due to dreadful weather.

An amazing trail through the caves. All ages loved it, with my 8-year-old amazed that his hands fitted in hand prints from an 8-year-old miner.

An interesting insight into the geographical elements of the area. I had never heard of an ochre mine before (having come froma slate and coal area) so this was quite a unique experience. The mines were built into natural caves that you can explore. The paths are well made so sensible footwear , though advised, isn't really necessary and my friend wore sandals. It took about an hour to wander round the mine/cave and there is a gift shop at the end selling locally sourced wares. Our favourite part was a beautiful large pool where a light display of prehistoric creatures swam through. Keep an eye out for the walk skeleton and the ochre man too! Overall, an educational and interesting place to visit which would be great for teaching kids about their local area.

Fantastic morning at these caves/mine. Well worth a look. Recommend fairly strong shoes or trainers, and a coat or hoody. The coffee shop cafe had a fine selection of cakes and buns matched by a quality selection of coffee and teas.

Set up as an underground museum showing and detailing the history of mining in the area. Very informative. Self guided tour, which took around 30 minutes to complete. Would recommend.

Great place to visit, walk around old mine and it's cold down there so jumper / jacket required.

Bigger than expected. Some nice touches - miners' voices, moving shadows, projected moving sea creatures. Lots of mining tools and equipment. Wear appropriate footwear!

Nice visit here, no deep cave experience available on our visit, still enjoyed. Lots to see, gift shop and cafe at the end .

We've been coming here for the past 4 years for the Christmas event and it never fails to blow my mind.. it truly is magical.. im in awe of how they make it look so good.. so much hard work and effort goes in to it ...

Absolutely brilliant. I thought it would be good as I had heard good things from others but I was blown away when we got there. So many high quality decorations, so many lights, good distance walk, lovely toy for my baby after meeting Santa. Honestly can’t fault it. The amount of effort that has gone into it is amazing. Can’t Recommend it more highly. Best thing we have done in years. Thank you