Caves · North East England
Fairy Holes
In or near Stanhope.
Fairy Holes is a cave in the United Kingdom.
Mike Quinn — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 45 min–1.5 h
- Nearest railway station
- Stanhope · 5.9 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
About
Fairy Holes is a named cave entrance in the Scottish Lowlands. The site is within the North Pennines National Landscape (AONB), and is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. It sits within the Bishop Auckland parliamentary constituency. The nearest railway station is Stanhope, about 5.9 km away. Postcode area DL13.
Official information
Fairy Holes is a wet cave located in Weardale, known for its challenging conditions including waist-deep pools and crawling sections. Access is restricted and requires a permit, which can be obtained by BCA-registered clubs or individual members.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Bollihope, Pikestone, Eggleston and Woodland Fells SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Upper Teesdale SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Pennines
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
Place summary
Fairy Holes is a cave located in the Scottish Lowlands, within the parish of Stanhope, postcode DL13. It is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) under the Bollihope, Pikestone, Eggleston and Woodland Fells SSSI and Upper Teesdale SSSI, and lies within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
AI-generated from the structured facts on this page (operator, designation, listing, era). Not a substitute for visiting.
- Coordinates
- 54.7261, -2.0900
- District
- County Durham
- Parish
- Stanhope
- Postcode
- DL13 2LF
- Parliamentary constituency
- Bishop Auckland
- Nearest railway station
- Stanhope — 5.9 km
- Opening
- First Saturday of every month, 8am–10pm; permit required.
- Official site
- cncc.org.uk
Sources
- osm: n3586455444 (ODbL)
Other places nearby
Westernhope Burn Wood
Forests & woodlands · 0.8 km
Gate Castle
Literary houses · 1.1 km
Fairy Holes Cave
Caves · 1.2 km
Brotherlee
Other places · 2.0 km
Snowhope Hill
Mountains & hills · 2.2 km
Outberry Hill
Mountains & hills · 2.2 km
Bridge Over Rookhope Burn
Historic bridges · 2.2 km
Eastgate railway station
Heritage railway stations · 2.2 km
Bollihope Carrs
Mountains & hills · 2.3 km
Eastgate
Villages · 2.3 km
Eastgate War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 2.3 km
Turf Hill
Mountains & hills · 2.6 km
Nearby
📷 3Forests & woodlands · North East England
Westernhope Burn Wood
Westernhope Burn Wood in England North East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Literary houses · North East England
Gate Castle
Gate Castle — a literary house museum in scotland lowlands.
📷 3Caves · North East England
Fairy Holes Cave
Fairy Holes Cave in England North East, United Kingdom.
📷 4📷 5Mountains & hills · North East England
Snowhope Hill
Snowhope Hill — mountain in scotland lowlands. Elevation: 607.2 m.
📷 5Mountains & hills · North East England
Outberry Hill
Outberry Hill — mountain in scotland lowlands. Elevation: 561 m.
Where to eat & stay near Fairy Holes
Places to stay
📷 5Hostels · North East England
Hiole House Bunkhouse
Hiole House Bunkhouse — a hostel in scotland lowlands.
📷 5Caravan parks · North East England
Swinhopeburn Caravan Site
Swinhopeburn Caravan Site — a caravan park in scotland lowlands.
📷 5Hotels · North East England
Westgate Manor
Westgate Manor — a hotel in scotland lowlands.
📷 5Caravan parks · North East England
Westgate Caravan Park and Camping Site
Westgate Caravan Park and Camping Site — a caravan park in scotland lowlands.
📷 5Caravan parks · North East England
Belle Vue Caravan Site
Belle Vue Caravan Site — a caravan park in scotland lowlands.
📷 5Places to eat & drink
📷 5Historic pubs · North East England
Black Bull Public House
Black Bull Public House in Scotland Lowlands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · North East England
The Lord Crewe Arms Hotel
The Lord Crewe Arms Hotel in Scotland Lowlands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Cafés · North East England
The White Monk Tearoom
The White Monk Tearoom — a café in scotland lowlands.
📷 3
📷 5Historic pubs · North East England
Travellers' Rest Inn
Travellers' Rest Inn in Scotland Lowlands, United Kingdom.
📷 4Historic pubs · North East England
Delves Lane
Delves Lane in England North East, United Kingdom.
More caves in this region
📷 3Caves · North East England
Swinner Gill Kirk
Swinner Gill Kirk is a cave in the United Kingdom.
📷 3
📷 4
📷 4Caves · North East England
Haltwhistle Burn
Haltwhistle Burn in England North East, United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Fairy Holes?
- Fairy Holes is in the Scottish Lowlands, United Kingdom (postcode DL13 2LF), in the parish of Stanhope.
- What is Fairy Holes?
- Fairy Holes is a cave in the United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Fairy Holes?
- The nearest railway station is Stanhope, about 5.9 km away. Drivers can use postcode DL13 2LF.
- Is Fairy Holes a protected site?
- Yes — Fairy Holes is part of the Bollihope, Pikestone, Eggleston and Woodland Fells SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Upper Teesdale SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is Fairy Holes free to visit?
- Yes, Fairy Holes is free to enter.
- How do I get to Fairy Holes?
- The nearest railway station is Stanhope, about 5.9 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode DL13 2LF.