Thousands of straw stalactites drop from a roof of pure white calcite. Coming towards the end of the tour, this is possibly the most spectacular and memorable section of Crag Cave.
The Michelin Guide, who rated Crag Cave with two stars, describes the beauty of the Crystal Gallery as “eliciting gasps of wonder”.
Being hollow in the centre, these straws are exceptionally fragile and occasionally snap off the ceiling under their own weight. In places, the remains of these beautiful formations carpet the cave floor. All the stalactites in the cave, even the large one near the entrance, were once delicate straws that became stronger to create the larger formations that are now seen.