Beneath the Surface Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dripping water deposits minerals.

Water drips through the porous rock above and as it dries, it deposits the minerals it has dissolved and carried with it. After many hundreds of years, these deposits grow to become stalactites. If the water droplet is too big to cling to the roof, it drops to the floor where a stalagmite begins to form. Slow flowing water means it will take longer for a feature to form. Even half an inch may take thousands of years.

When vandals break off pieces for keepsakes it causes great indignation among those who love our caves.

Answer: They were dug out by hand.

The Hellfire Caves were created from an old quarry. Between 1748 and 1750 there were poor harvests, reducing local residents to near starvation. The then owner of the land paid the men to produce stone from the quarry and use it to rebuild a local main road which had fallen into disrepair.

The resulting system of tunnels later became the meeting place for a group of dissolute young aristocrats; a place where they could indulge their fantasies. It is an intricate cave system, with caves of many shapes and sizes. One of the caverns was even used as a grand banqueting hall.

At times it is now open to the public.

Answer: Aquifers

Aquifers in Dorset provide the drinking water rather than reservoirs . These caves are not ignored by cavers. Instead they indulge in another of their fun pursuits and use diving equipment to explore.

Answer: a pool where anything immersed turns to stone

The best known, and some claim the only, petrifying well is near Mother Shipton's Cave at Knaresborough, but there are other examples at Matlock Bath in Derbyshire and several other places. They are sometimes inside a cave, and sometimes at the entrance.
Anything hung in the falling waters eventually becomes covered in minerals in the same way as stalactites. People often hang trophies such as teddy bears and baby booties there. The water tends to fall fairly fast so that the petrification occurs quite quickly.

Answer: Torquay

This is a series of caves, linked by tunnels. It is particularly important as it has provided interesting study for cave scientists, and historical investigators who have found evidence of mankind living there during several historical periods. It is now open to the public.

Answer: Blue John

Blue John is a beautiful fluorite stone with shades of purple/white/yellow/blue in twisted bands of colour. Experts claim there are fourteen varieties that can be identified. Pieces have been found large enough to carve bowls, pitchers, and dishes, but the veins are almost exhausted and only small pieces are found which are suitable for nothing but jewellery.

It is found only in Blue John Cavern and nearby Treak Cavern. The miners claim that it is not found anywhere else in the world, and certainly no other mines seem to produce this most exquisite of stones, although there are deposits of the same mineral in other places.

However, none have ever been found that are as beautiful as those from Derbyshire.

Answer: Mendips

There may be more caverns to be discovered in this region. Over 400 caves have already been found. Each one is unique in the way the stalactites have formed. Some have many that look like curtains, others have mirror-like pools and stone shapes which resemble recognisable objects.

There is even a place that looks like a set of organ pipes. The caves are also home to colonies of bats, although they keep well away from visitors.

Answer: Cheddar Gorge

Gough's Cave is one of the spectacular cave systems in the Cheddar Gorge. The name is that of a family that owned the cave at the beginning of the 20th century. They wanted to open it to the public and so cut away some rocks to allow for an easy path.

In so doing they found and preserved several flint tools, showing that stone age man had lived there. However, the cave then became liable to flooding. After careful examination, they found the water course and carefully dug it out to redirect the flow. During that effort they discovered the skeleton of a prehistoric man.

The route through some of the most spectacular parts of the cave is now safe and popular with tourists. Explorers go further into the private areas and more caves are still being found in this huge complex.

Answer: Deep water right up to the entrances

The cliff edges are very steep and drop straight into deep water. The caves were enlarged by miners digging out marble. The deep water allowed ships to come right to the mouths of the caves for loading and removing the stone, which was sold mainly in Europe.

When the smugglers needed hiding places for their contraband, this deep water allowed them to come right to the cave mouths to unload the goods and store it without having to use roads where they would be seen.

Answer: water erosion

There is a small stream running from the cave. This is believed to have eroded the stone. Nearby there are a number of small sandstone hills known as the Devil's Footprints. These are said to have been foot-marks made by the Devil when he ran away with a cauldron that he had stolen from the old witch who lived in the cave. Experts believe that it was water action during heavy rains and floods that created them.