Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Taktsang Lhakhang, also known as the “Tiger’s Nest”.
Bhutan • 11 days, 10 nights
Festivals & Temples of Bhutan
from
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Mosaic in Beachfront Park.
Tsunami Walking Tour
Madam Yoko’s gravesite.
Madam Yoko’s Grave
Garden path.
Garden of the Presidential Mansion
Anabaptist Cages
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The Golden Gate Bridge as seen from the Marin Headlands at sunrise.
Listener Stories of Leaving Home: From San Francisco to Japan
Aerial view of Bell Labs Holmdel
How the Bell Labs Holmdel Complex Inspired ‘Severance’
Omni Parker House Hotel
The Omni Parker House: Inside the History of Boston’s Most Iconic Hotel
The cute capybara.
Animal Takeover: Brace Yourself for Adorable Hordes

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Borrowdale Millican Daltons Caves
AO Edited

Millican Daltons Caves

It's believed a local adventurer spent 50 years living inside this cave.

Borrowdale, England

Added By
Rachel Kearns
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Inside.   rexthemonkey / Atlas Obscura User
The view from outside the cave.   rexthemonkey / Atlas Obscura User
The view from the cave.   rexthemonkey / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Millican’s cave was the home to Millican Dalton for around 50 years. He was a British self-proclaimed "Professor of Adventure."

He left his city life and decided to live in a cave and remained self-sufficient. He also offered climbing and walking adventures for visitors to the area. He was famous for his hat and raft that he used to travel to the nearest town of Keswick. A few of his famous quotes are inscribed on a stone outside his cave.

By all accounts, Dalton was a gentleman, very much a free spirit, and ahead of his time. The nearest town of Keswick is now called the Adventure Capital of the Lakes. You can still visit Millican’s cave and it's easy to see why he chose this spot, it's beautiful, off the beaten track, has access to fresh water, and provides great shelter from the environment.

Related Tags

Adventure Legends Caves

Know Before You Go

The Borrowdale Valley is beautiful and there are buses that will get you to Rosthwaite, the local village.

Once in the village, you need to walk alongside the local river, following it as it travels towards Derwentwater (the nearest lake). The footpath then heads up towards Castle Crag, follow this until you find a network of caves, there are multiple.

If you keep heading up, you will get to Millican Daltons Cave, which is the highest cave with the best views. The hike is difficult, so you need to be fit or be prepared to take your time. On the return journey, back in Rosthwaite, there is a cafe, Flock Inn, and a pub where you can reward your exertions. 

Community Contributors

Added By

rexthemonkey

Published

April 6, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Millican Daltons Caves
Borrowdale, England, CA12 5XA
United Kingdom
54.53378, -3.158251
Visit Website

Nearby Places

The Bowder Stone

Borrowdale, England

miles away

Hundred Year Stone

Keswick, England

miles away

Derwent Pencil Museum

Keswick, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Borrowdale

Borrowdale

England

Places 2

Nearby Places

The Bowder Stone

Borrowdale, England

miles away

Hundred Year Stone

Keswick, England

miles away

Derwent Pencil Museum

Keswick, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Borrowdale

Borrowdale

England

Places 2

Related Places

  • Flagged soda straws point towards the cave’s entrance.

    Alberta

    Castleguard Cave

    Canada’s longest cave system is home to creatures found nowhere else on the planet, as well as rare cave pearls.

  • The figure at the heart of the Chapel

    Hastings, England

    Saint Clement's Caves

    A former smuggler's haven houses "The Chapel" and its mysterious carvings.

  • Ogbunike Cave

    Ogbunike, Nigeria

    Ogbunike Caves

    Legend has it these caves were created by a deity called Ogba, who is said to live inside the winding subterranean caverns.

  • Gouffre de Padirac

    Padirac, France

    Le Gouffre de Padirac (Padirac Cave)

    This impressive chasm is one of the longest natural underground cavities in the world.

  • Two stones just out of the ground.

    Jökulsárgljúfur, Iceland

    Karl og Kerling

    Legend has it these two stones are petrified trolls.

  • King Arthur's Cave

    Whitchurch, England

    King Arthur's Cave

    The site of an early Arthurian battle and the dwelling-place of prehistoric people and (possibly) an ancient race of giants.

  • On the platform.

    Lovelock, Nevada

    Lovelock Cave

    How a bat poo mine became a major Native American archaeological site—and connections to legendary red-haired giants.

  • Pune, India

    Baneshwar Cave Temple

    A centuries-old Hindu cave temple is tucked away in a quiet suburb.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.