Intrepid visitors to the famous Smugglers Adventure in Hastings will have a second chance to take part in a special Torchlight Tour through the caves and subterranean passages on Saturday, May 7th.
The extra date has been added after the first tour sold out, just days after being announced.
The new tour, which runs from 5pm-6.30pm and must be booked in advance, offers a spooky and highly atmospheric insight into the history of the underground tunnels including their use as a military hospital for Wellington’s troops during the Napoleonic Wars and as an air-raid shelter in World War II.
A maximum of 30 people will be taken on a dramatic exploration of the caves which cover a total area in excess of five square kilometres in the company of an expert guide whose flickering lantern will provide the only illumination.
Smugglers’ Adventure’s Leanna Lawson said: “We were delighted to see how quickly the first tour sold out and decided to add a second date in May.
“The darkness provides the perfect setting to experience what the caves must have been like throughout history.
“Without artificial lighting the subterranean passages return to the way they have been for centuries – pitch black. The lack of light lets your imagination run wild and definitely helps bring the myths, legends and ghost stories associated with them vividly to life.
“As the caves are also home to more than 70 life-size characters it’s sometimes difficult to separate the visitors from the permanent residents!” she added.
The tour, which is limited to a maximum of 30 people, begins in the 45-metre long Monk’s Walk with its 23 pairs of arched candle niches.
Visitors will also learn all about the bizarre re-discovery of the caves by the Victorian Joseph Golding and the geology which enabled them to form in the first place.
From mysterious carved figures to the spectacular ballroom, royal visits to ghostly apparitions, the torchlight tours offer the perfect combination of thrills and chills.
• Tickets £9.50 per person (participants must be aged 12 or over). Only 30 spaces available so book now by calling 01424 718776 or email [email protected]. Payment must be made in advance before April 30th.
Issued on behalf of Smugglers Adventure. For more information please contact Leanna Lawson on 01424 422964.