NEW EVENT: join a real palaeontology dig site in Yorkshire

It all began with a tropical sea. Some 300 million years ago, in the part of the world we now call Yorkshire, limestone formed. Over the coming millennia, the caves and passageways at Stump Cross Caverns began forming – slowly but surely – deep within this ancient rock.

This ancient history, however, is still unfolding. The cave system continues to expand as our team of cavers digs its way through C Chamber.

This is a newly unearthed section of the caverns. At the time of writing, it's a mixture of beautiful crystalline rock formations and a whole lot of mud and rocks.

This is real glacial mud dating all the way back to the Ice Age. And while it looks like any old mud, it might be just full of Ice Age treasure.

Volunteers have already found a real Wolverine jawbone dating back 80,000 years. Who knows what other prizes lie hidden in the mud, waiting to be discovered?

This spring, we're giving you the chance to find out. Starting on Tuesday 26 May, you can join our unique Ice Age Dig – a real palaeontology dig with the potential for real finds.

Could you be the one to make the next big discovery – and, perhaps, help deepen our knowledge of this ancient landscape?

What is the Ice Age Dig?

The Ice Age Dig is a new and exciting outdoor palaeontology experience here at Stump Cross Caverns. Launching on 26 May, it's set to become a fixture in our calendar of events – at least until the mud runs out.

Visitors get to join our resident Cavewoman or Caveman in the marquee for a 50-minute workshop where they sift through mud recovered from C Chamber.

This isn't any old mud, however. It's really old mud, dating from the Ice Age – a time when the Yorkshire Dales was a harsh Arctic environment. Even better, it's mud that could hold prehistoric secrets.

WATCH: diggers start uncovering the secrets of C Chamber

What could you find at the Ice Age Dig?

Back in February 2026, Craven Pothole Club volunteer Rowan Worsman made a startling find – a wolverine jaw that's estimated to be some 80,000 years old.

This is the same Ice Age sediment that you'll be digging through. The possibilities for discovery are real and exciting.

We don't, of course, know exactly what's in the mud. But visitors could find:

Teeth and bone fragments from wolverines, bears, wolves and mammoths
Small mammal and amphibian remains
Even Stone Age tools

Plus, if you dig up a calcite crystal, stalactite or stalagmite, you can take it home with you as an Ice Age souvenir.

This is the only experience of its kind in the UK – and once the mud is gone, it's gone. Are you going to join us at Stump Cross Caverns to see what prehistoric marvels lie in the mud?

LISTEN: how an Ice Age wolverine jaw was found at Stump Cross Caverns

The Ice Age Dig: what you need to know

£10 per person
Ages 5+
50-minute sessions on the hour
Available standalone or as part of the Ice Age Discovery Day package
An ongoing event launching on 26 May

It's easy to book your spot online.

Our finds policy

Genuine fossil discoveries will be preserved by our team and Natural England. Participants who make a significant find will receive an Ice Age Discovery Certificate and a replica of the fossil. Calcite crystals and cave pieces can be taken home as souvenirs.

Could you be the one who discovers the next big fossil find at Stump Cross Caverns? Hurry – book your spot on our Ice Age Dig before the mud is gone.

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