Wookey Hole Caves has launched a brand new immersive experience, combining projection mapping, sound and the caves themselves, which showcases the story of the Witch of Wookey Hole, millions of years of geology and the spirit of exploration beneath the Mendip Hills.
Forming part of the main tour of one of Britain’s oldest and best-known cave systems, the experience, as part of a £250,000 investment, introduces a series of huge projections within three cave chambers. But there are no screens involved; the projections have been mapped with precision onto the very surface of the caves.
It all starts in the famed Witch’s Kitchen, where visitors will explore the legend of the Witch of Wookey Hole and the centuries of folklore that surround her story, from her origins and how she brought misfortune to locals, to her final standoff with Father Bernard and her rediscovery in 1912.
Moving on to the Great Hall, the focus shifts to how the river axe, aeons of time and early human presence shaped the caves over the years. From terrifying underground whirlpools and cave-dwelling bears, tales of early explorers shooting cannons inside the caves and mysterious markings carved into the very surface of the rock.
It all culminates in the Cathedral Chamber, where the bravery and adventurous spirit of the cave divers who ventured into the unknown to explore the cave networks, in some cases, with nothing more than a hose pipe, a bicycle pump and a homemade diving suit.
General Manager, Chris Goodchild explains:
“Wookey Hole has always represented a deep-seated sense of adventure, mythology and magic. The very caves beneath us hold so much history and heritage. This new experience is our way of, quite literally, bringing a whole new light to these magnificent structures.”
“We’re not just projecting pictures onto rock. The caves become the stage, each story is a moment of true spectacle and wonder, making these ancient natural structures feel truly alive.”
The projections are now live as part of Wookey Hole’s guided cave tours, offering visitors a new reason to explore one of Britain’s most famous underground landscapes.
Designed to work with the caves rather than compete with them, the experience aims to deepen understanding of the site’s legends, geology and history while preserving the stillness that makes Wookey Hole unique.
Each projection sequence lasts approximately two minutes and is integrated into the guided cave tour. The experience itself is created through a process of projection mapping, a highly specialised projection technique which allows for even the most irregular surfaces to be transformed into screens.
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