Thor's Cave
Wetton, Staffordshire
This once inhabited cave is a great location for some wonderful views of beautiful countryside and has long been a destination for hikers and rock climbers. It also has a fascinating history.
Thor’s Cave is located in Staffordshire and overlooks the Manifold Valley, part of the White Peak in the Peak District. The cave is believed to be around 10,000 years old, with excavations finding remains of some now extinct animals, as well as a number of tools used during the Stone Age — 10,000 years would date back to the Neolithic era, also known as the New Stone Age.
To visit this location, take a drive to the village of Wetton in Staffordshire — you’ll find somewhere to park on Carr Lane, Ashbourne, conveniently near the toilets. Here’s your directions for getting to the cave:
- Head southeast on Carr Lane and take the first road on the right, a minute or two walk will get you to the path you’ll be taking (map below). The trail will be signposted ‘Concession Path to Thor’s Cave’.
- Walk around 0.5km/0.3miles until you get to the first of two stiles – climb over and continue the walk.
- You’ll come across a second stile on the right – climb over and you’ll continue the path to the left.
- You’ll come across two options now, you can carry straight on up the hill to get to the top of Thor’s Cave where you can witness some delightful views of the countryside. Your other option is to choose the path to the right — follow this path round to get to the cave entrance.
If it’s only the cave you came to see, then all you need to do is turn around and head back the way you came. To continue on the trail, head down the steps just on the right of the cave opening. The total distance of this trail is around 10km/6miles — take a look here for a detailed route description.
There are other trails in this area too, including Manifold Way — you can start at Wetton Mill (DE6 2AG) and head to Weag’s Bridge (ST13 7TX) or vice versa. You’ll find a trail map here.
Things to Take:
- Comfortable shoes are a must – walking boots with good grip are advised. The limestone rocks around the cave can be very slippery.
- A torch – there are a lot of dark areas of the cave, so a torch is essential if you want to explore – I’d recommend the torch below; it’s lightweight and compact, but is super bright.
- A backpack for all your essentials.
AD
These are my top picks for preparing for Thor’s Cave:
