Going underground in England

London’s famous Underground system marks its 150th anniversary in January – the world’s first underground railway spluttered into action on January 10, 1863 when the first trains operated on sections of what are now the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.

As you might expect Covent Garden’s London Transport Museum will be hosting a range of events and activities that are planned to mark the anniversary but the Tube is not the only place in the country where you can go underground:

Underground Manchester Walking Tours

New Manchester Walks’ Underground Manchester tour (above) takes visitors to another world beneath the north-west city. The walk follows a subterranean canal, deep below the city’s streets, which became Manchester’s largest Second World War air-raid shelter.

Tours are available on Saturdays throughout the year and cost £9.00 per person.

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Carnglaze Caverns in Cornwall

Carnglaze Caverns are three cathedral-sized caverns that were hand created by local slate miners near the village of St Neot, Liskeard. Underground tours take tourists 150m into the hillside and 60m below ground into the lower chambers where there is a subterranean lake.

Open Monday to Saturday, and tickets cost £6.00 for adults and £3.00 for children.

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Hastings’ Smugglers Caves

Telling the 200 year old story of smuggling on the South Coast, the St Clements Caves feature dozens of life-size figures, push button tableaux, dramatic lighting, eerie sound effects, and a resident rogue and guide, ‘Hairy Jack’, who brings the attraction to life.

Admission costs £7.50 for adults and £5.50 for children.

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Old Police Cells Museum, Sussex

Hidden in the depths of Brighton Town Hall, The Old Police Cells Museum provides an insight into the history of policing in Sussex since 1830. Discover the city’s gruelling past, and learn why Brighton was once described as the ‘Queen of slaughtering places’.

Entry is free Tuesday to Saturday, April to November 1st and on the first and third Saturdays of the month in winter

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Secrets of Brighton’s Sewers

Brighton sewer tours give visitors a whole new perspective on an otherwise vibrant and colourful city. Ever wondered why Brighton’s beaches are cobbled and not sandy? A look at the sewers’ brickwork will show how Victorian bricklayers used hundreds of tonnes of sand taken from the beach to make ‘pug’ in order to cement millions of bricks.

Tours re-open in February 2013 and cost £12.00 per adult and £6.00 per child.

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Chislehurst Caves, Kent

The caves at Chislehurst are a labyrinth of man-made tunnels, forming a maze stretching over six hectares, 30 meters below the woodlands above. The caves were originally dug for chalk used in lime burning and brick-making for the buildings of London, as well as for flints to fire the tinderboxes and flintlock guns years ago.

Open weekly from Wednesday to Sunday and every day during local school and bank holidays, excluding Christmas and New Year. Tickets cost £5.00 for adults and £3.00 for children.

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Underground Eatery

Enjoy a Full English, Ploughmans or Sunday Dinner or anything in-between, at The Keys Restaurant down in the crypt of St Peter’s Parish Church in Huddersfield. Voted by customers as one of Yorkshire’s best places to eat, The Key’s Restaurant makes for a unique dining experience complete with friendly service and a warm atmosphere.

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