Wookey Hole Caves Review

Reviewed by Joanne Hughes

We visited the famous Wookey Hole Caves during the February half term and had a very enjoyable day out. The caves are located near Wells in Somerset, which was a three-hour drive for us (three and a half hours from Central London, but also accessible via train to Bristol and then a bus to Wells). We decided to book the previous night in the Wookey Hole Caves so that we could have a full day at the attraction, and we were very glad we did as there was a lot to see and do. Finding the location was easy using the satnav, and there was good sign-posting from the centre of Wells. On arrival, we found the free parking available was ample, there being a shared car park with the attraction and the hotel, and a further car park for the attraction only, neither of which were full.

We arrived at the attraction at the opening time of 10am, and there wasn’t a long queue to get in, though I could imagine this to be a different case in the summer, as there were only two kiosks. We were using vouchers for the entrance fee (you can also get discounted tickets if you book online), which the staff easily dealt with and were very welcoming, explaining how often the cave tours were (which was every fifteen minutes during that week), and providing a site map. We decided to visit the caves first, though we had to wait awhile as there was a group before us. Once inside the caves, the friendly tour guide was helpful and informative, the tour was just the right amount of time, and the account of the history and geology of the caves was enlightening, particularly that of the Wookey Hole witch. The guide was very patient and didn’t mind that we were a little slower going around, so that we could enjoy the experience and get a proper look at the caves. The children loved seeing the boat, the cave-aged cheese (though this was a little smelly), crossing the bridges and discovering more caverns, and the adults enjoyed the beauty and wonder of these spectacular caves.

After the tour you come out on the path through the Fairy Garden, which was very pretty to wander through but didn’t hold the children’s’ interest for long. After going through a small gift shop where you could try the cave-aged cheese (a delicious must!), you arrive in the Valley of the Dinosaurs, which also has a large statue of King Kong – the children squealed with delight when some of the dinosaurs moved and roared at them. An added bonus was the safari tent with fossils in sand that you could uncover. The valley was also a great spot for a snack stop and there were plenty of benches for you to take the weight off your feet for a moment.

From here you can enter the Witch’s laboratory where you get to meet the witch herself and her trusty Bat before heading into the 4D cinema. The short film was enjoyable, but I didn’t feel that the movement of the chairs really complimented it – though it was nice to have the children quiet for a moment as they were totally engrossed in the film. In the cave diving museum there was a short film of a diver going through the cave system, which was quite daunting, particularly if you are prone to claustrophobia, but the film clip about the paper mill and how the paper is made was very interesting and fun; unfortunately, there was nobody doing the presentations in the actual paper-mill to compliment this, which was quite disappointing. The play area was really fabulous, and it was difficult to tear the children away to get some lunch. The food and drinks in the restaurant were average prices (though a little expensive for the sandwiches), there was quite a good range and it was tasty, also, there was plenty of seating available.

Excitedly, we made our way to the Wookey Theatre for the circus show. The circus is made up of performers from the local schools who are trained up by professionals and then perform at the attraction. Our performance was an all-female cast and was on a par with the caves as the highlight of the day. During that week there were only two performances a day, so we were glad we managed to see one. Well worth watching!

Next it was time for some fun in the mirror maze and penny arcade – though it did seem that there were a few too many machines and it was starting to become costly with the children wanting to do nearly all of them, particularly as we lost money to some of the machines that weren’t working.

It was nearing time to leave, however, we were able to get in a round at the crazy pirate golf course, which was included in our tickets. The kids had fun hitting the balls all over the place (and, regrettably, losing a few too), nevertheless it was an amusing end to a delightful day out.

Wookey Hole Caves is a worthwhile visit for all the family.

Rating: 4/5

Tickets cost from £15 to £19 pe rperson on the gate, book online in advance to save 15%.

For more information or to book tickets online visit www.wookey.co.uk.

Wookey Hole Caves, The Mill, Wells, Somerset, BA5 1BB | 01749 672243