Cave is a term used for any naturally formed hole in the ground which can include very small rock shelters or depressions barely big enough to form shadows. The sport of caving however focusses on the larger of these holes which can be increadibly long, the longest cave in the world being Mammoth Cave (Kentucky, USA) at 591km. Caves are generally found in Carboniferous Limestone regions though some rare exceptions exist. The map to the left shows the Limestone regions of England, Scotland and Wales. These are where Britains caves are found although there are a number of mines (man made caves) across Britain from Slate mines in North Wales to Lead mines in Cornwall and many many more in between. Each caving area has a destinct feel with the largest cave systems being found in South Wales where the longest cave is Ogof Draenen with 70km of passage. Yorkshire caves tend to be more vertical often requiring single rope techniques and can be long with the Lancaster - Easegill - Pipikin - Lost Johns connection being 75km long (the longest cave in Britain). The Peak District can feel like a pick and mix of caving as it has all sorts of cave system from tight crawls to vertical pitches, roaring river passages to dry walks underground. The longest cave in The Peak is Peak Cavern - Speedwell with almost 18km of passage and it is also home to the tallest pitch in the UK with Titan's Pot a single 140m (450ft) deep pitch. There is also a large number of caves in the Forest of Dean area and Northern Ireland but the final of the most popular caving regions is the Mendip Hills. Mendip caves tend to be shorter with Swildon's Hole being the longest at just under 10km. Mendip caves are generally smaller passages with more crawling and less vertical pitches and although shorter in length the number of caves in a small area is very high which makes it a very popular novice area. Caving offers all kinds of adventures and experiences for novices and experts alike and the first step into the darkness is made easier with scoutcaving.com. No matter where you live you can get caving by finding your county on the locator or if you just want to know more about caves and caving click a link below to find out more.