Most ‘mysterious’ walk near London with tunnels that are ‘out of this world’

A Londoner has shared her experience of visiting the ‘most mysterious’ tunnels near London that make for a great walk – but the origin of the otherworldly tunnels are unknown

If you’re tired of your normal park or woodland walk, then one woman has urged more people to visit some ‘mysterious’ tunnels near London that she claims are ‘out of this world’ and make for a unique place for a stroll.

A Londoner named Ani has made a name for herself on TikTok, where she’s better known under her username ‘wander_aniwhere’, and has gained thousands of followers by sharing her favourite things to do in and around London, whether it’s a day trip out of the city, or unique experiences. But in one video, she shared her experience of walking through some ‘mysterious’ tunnels that make for a great adventure.

“I think I just found the most mysterious place in England,” Ani wrote in the caption of the post. She added: “Hidden beneath Margate’s vibrant streets lies a glowing, otherworldly tunnel no one can fully explain, with about 4.6 million shimmering seashells, and no one knows who built it, or when, or why!”

The Shell Grotto, sometimes called the Shell Temple, is an ornate underground shell grotto in the seaside town of Margate in Kent. Discovered in 1835, it’s 70ft (21 metres) of winding passages decorated with 4.6 million shells.

The walls are covered in images of gods and goddesses, trees of life, and patterns made from the shells of whelks, mussels and oysters.

Nearly all of the 4.6 million shells are native to the British Isles and most of those could be found relatively locally to Margate. But there are also some exotic shells, such as the queen conches from the Caribbean in the corners of the Altar Room.

While some people believe the tunnels were made as an ancient Pagan grotto, others say it is simply an ornate Regency folly. However, there is no definitive explanation or history of it, making it one of the greatest mysteries in all of Kent.

“Lucky for us, it was discovered in 1835, and is definitely not to be missed when visiting Margate,” Ani wrote in the caption of her post.

Today, the Shell Grotto is a museum that accepts visitors all year round, and it’s only a 90-minute train journey from London St Pancras. As it is a museum, tickets vary from £6 for adults, £5 for concessions, or £2 for kids. You can also get a family ticket for £13.

On their website, the Shell Grotto say carbon dating the shells to get a better understanding of when the grotto was first created could help to figure out why it was built. However, it adds this process would be expensive.

If you’re looking to visit, Ani recommends to wear comfortable shoes when walking through the narrow underground passages. And since it can get chilly inside, she also says to bring a light layer you can put on.

People were quickly left amazed by Ani’s video, as many took to the comment section to share their own thoughts and experiences.

“Years ago I saw this place as a kid when we lived in Margate. I must go back to visit,” one person shared. Someone else said: “we have been here and it is beautiful! Its called the shell grotto.”

And this isn’t the only shell grotto in the UK, as a third person also shared: “There’s a shell grotto where I live in south wales up on the mountain it’s beautiful inside. They have Father Christmas inside it for the children too visit at Christmas time.”