Chislehurst Caves

Wer die lange Anfahrt in Londons Außenbezirke nicht scheut, wird mit einer interessanten Sehenswürdigkeit belohnt. Die Chislehurst Caves sind ein riesiges Höhlenlabyrinth, welches man in Gruppenführungen besichtigen kann. Man bekommt stilechte Öllampen, die den Geheimnisvoll-​Faktor noch einmal erhöhen. Der Guide erzählt viele spannende Anekdoten und historische Ereignisse. Definitiv einen Besuch wert!

This was the first cave tour I’ve participated in and it was an interesting experience. Getting to Chislehurst Caves is a walk and a half. We took a train there so we had to walk maybe 1.5 miles. We didn’t mind as there were a lot of nice «cottages» to look at along the way. We used our London Pass. The cave tour was so fun and very informative. It’s super dark in there so they provide a few lamps. Our tour guide was a nice old lady who knew a lot about the cave. She told us a ghost story which fitted the occasion considering it was dark in there. I had to stay close to my bf after that. The cave was also used during WWII for shelter and what was interesting was that a whole community lived underground. They have statues of people in certain areas of the cave which depicts how these people lived there during that time. I got scared a few times of these statues. lol. A stage was also present in one area. Apparently, it was also used as a music venue in the 60’s and our tour guide mentioned that Jimi Hendrix performed on that stage. We only visited a small part of the cave, as it is an endless place with many tunnels. If you get lost, I don’t think you’d ever get out.
The cave was cold, but I live in Hawaii so anything below 70 degrees f is cold. Bring a sweater and also walking shoes.

Just got back from a tour today and must say I was very impressed. The tour guide was excellent and really created an atmosphere and it was fascinating to learn the full history of the caves. Although I don’t live that far away this was my first visit and I will definitely be back again, the entry fee is very reasonable and well worth it. Ample (free) parking and easy to get to by car I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending it to friends and family.

Eerie, dark, spooky and weird –this place just rocks!!!
A FAB afternoon’s trip, nice atmosphere, the guide was very good. We have been in the caves three times now and everytime we have been around them we get a different vibe in the darkness –I have done a charity sleepover in the Tower of London and I thought that was spooky enough… how wrong I was!!! Cannot wait to go round the caves again and they certainly cool you down in the summer heat, the caves are definatley worth a visit –nice cup of tea in the café too!

We went round on a tour with a very experienced guide, they told us all the history of the caves from Druids and Romans right through to Saxon times and how they were used in WWII as bomb shelters. Be warned it’s very cold and there’s limited visibility so it’s rough going if you’re disabled or not sure of your footing. Lots of steps, I went when I could still do steps, it’s no good for wheelchair users. Plenty of free parking and a good café.

This is a great place to take the children; mine were hanging on to every word the guide said. There is so much history down there and you get sucked into the atmosphere. I would recommend some good walking shoes and a jumper, even in the summer as it is quite cool down here. My daughter once went down the caves at Halloween with some friends, they talked about it for ages afterwards and it still crops up occasionally, which goes to show what an impact the caves had on them. It is something different to do with the kids. There is a green very near and a couple of good pubs so you could make a day of it and have a picnic afterwards. Parking here isn’t easy and if you do take the train it is an uphill walk from the station.

The caves are 22 miles of man made mines where chalk and flint were originally excavated and it was last worked in the 1930’s. They are now a tourist attraction and visitors are invited to a guided tour where they are told of the history of the caves and encounter members of staff dressed in costumes intended to give them a fright. In world war 11 the caves were used as air raid shelters accommodating 15,000 inhabitants. It included a chapel and a hospital and had electic lighting. There was only one birth recoded during that time and the baby was christened Rose Cavena Wakeman. I have been told that fairly recently the TV programme Most Haunted was filmed there but I can’t actually confirm that.

Chislehurst is a small town in kent, located within very close proximty from C London by train and I love it. I visited the caves two months ago, but drove and it took over a nhour — so my advice is if you are coming from London, take the train.
It is a nightmare going down the old kent road, through new cross, etc. So DONT EVEN GO THERE BY CAR
The caves have been around for thousands of years and are divided between Saxon, Roman and Druid sections
The tour takes you approximately through one mile of the caves, but it seems longer. It is not possible to enter the caves alone, for the obvious reason that you will get lost
Tours are on the hour every hour and are very informative and quite scary for first-​timers. The caves were actually inhabited during World war II due to the continuous air raids
There are also ghost stories and scary tales that will igve the children a fright or two.
It is something different and something unforgettable. Myself and my family are all eager to return.
For the very brave, there is a special halloween tour, but this is certainly not for the faint hearted

About 20 minutes from central london on a train. The caves offer a different perspective on the war years and a visual clue as to how people lived. It is a great day out with children in a lovely area of london. The best part is it not to expensive but inquiring minds will be occupied!

Dies sind ehemalige Kreide Steinbrüche. Die Kreide wurde unterirdisch abgebaut und zwar im klassischen Raum und Säule Verfahren, so daß ein riesiges Labyrinth von Gängen entstanden ist.
Die Höhlen werden vielfältig genutzt, so wurden immer wieder Rockkonzerte und andere veranstaltungen hier abgehalten. Champignons wurden hier angebaut und ein Teil im zweiten Weltkrieg in einen Luftschutzbunker umgebaut. Auch für Gotcha ind Rollenspiele wurden die Gänge benutzt. Seit einigen Jahren werden die Keller auch auf regelmäßigen Führungen gezeigt.

To be properly appreciated Chislehurst Caves should be visited on Halloween after having watched some awful slash horror film and with a mate who thinks it’s funny to breathe gently down the back of your neck and then duck! Otherwise be an 8 year old child or a history fan.
This tour inside the 20 mile maze of underground caves is conducted solely by oil lamp. The tour guide tries to ramp up the fear factor by telling stories of spooky occurances but the main draws for adults are that it is absolutely pitch black (which if you are a londoner may be something you haven’t experienced for a while!) and has a very rich and interesting history dating back 8000 years.
It is a fun and alternative experience to take you out of the city into a very attractive part of Kent and is open throughout the year. Try the nearby Bickley Arms for post-​cave drinks.
Childrens tours are available and there is a restaurant and gift shop. There are good parking facilities and it is right next to Chislehurst train station which is accessable from Charing Cross and London Bridge.