Lion’s Gate
A Rare After Hours Sound and Spatial Experience
A rare and carefully curated after hours experience within the Marble Arch Caves, guided through sound, space and stillness by Tessa Ann.
Limited to 16 participants, this intimate small group experience takes place beyond public hours, offering access to the caves in a quieter and more atmospheric setting.
Step away from the pace of everyday life and into the stillness of the underground environment. This experience offers a rare opportunity to experience the caves in a slower, more attentive and immersive way.
Part of The Place to BE series, this experience explores the relationship between sound, listening and environment, where the cave itself becomes part of the experience.
Taking place on 8 August (08.08), often associated with the Lion’s Gate, this moment in the year is linked with reflection and renewal. Here, it serves simply as a gentle invitation to pause and experience the caves differently through sound, space and stillness.
Booking Information
Location: Marble Arch Caves, Fermanagh
Date: 8 August 2026
Time: 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Price: £70 per person plus booking fee
*Spaces are limited to 16 people to maintain the depth and intimacy of the experience.
Booking is essential via link below:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lions-gate-a-journey-through-sound-and-stillness-in-the-marble-arch-caves-tickets-1987918724418
Event Overview
The Experience
Beginning at the cave entrance, you will be guided on a slow journey through a series of underground chambers, each with its own distinct acoustic and spatial character.
As you move deeper into the cave, there is a natural transition from the outer landscape into a more contained and resonant environment.
With minimal instruments and very little spoken guidance, the focus remains on direct experience. Sound is introduced gently at key points, allowing the cave to carry, soften and shape each moment.
There will be time to pause, settle and listen within each chamber.
At the Roundabout, the group gathers for a period of stillness and sound. Crystal singing bowls and voice are used sparingly, allowing the natural acoustics to lead.
Later, at Journey’s End, there is an invitation for soft vocal toning, offering an opportunity to engage with sound in a simple and natural way.
Each chamber responds differently, revealing how sound travels, settles and transforms within the environment.
Unlike a typical cave tour, this experience is intentionally slow and spacious, offering time to notice how perception begins to shift underground.
After the Experience
As the return journey begins, there is space to notice how the cave feels on leaving.
Following the experience, there will be time to integrate, with refreshments or time outdoors if weather allows.
Accessibility
The cave experience includes steps, uneven surfaces and low lighting in places. There are 154 steps on access and exit of the show cave.
The pace of this experience will be slow and mindful, with pauses along the way to support comfort and accessibility.
This experience is not suitable for wheelchairs and may not be suitable for those with limited mobility or significant difficulty with steps.
For the full accessibility guide for the Marble Arch Caves, please visit:
https://marblearchcaves.co.uk/contact/
You are welcome to contact Tessa Ann directly at tessa@thesoundhealingspa.com with any accessibility questions prior to booking.
Event Information
Duration: Approximately 2 hours
Capacity: Maximum 16 participants
Suitability: Ages 16+. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.
Natural sound levels within the caves cannot be controlled and may vary. At times, rushing water or echoes may become louder. If you are sensitive to sound, you may wish to bring earplugs or ear defenders for comfort.
Please wear warm clothing and suitable footwear for cave conditions. You may also wish to bring water.
This experience may not be suitable during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Sustainability
This experience has been created in harmony with the Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geopark and the Embrace a Giant Spirit ethos.
It is a low impact, small group experience designed to honour the caves’ natural acoustics and environment, while encouraging mindful engagement and awareness.
About Tessa Ann
Tessa Ann is a sound artist and immersive experience creator based in Northern Ireland.
She is the founder of The Sound Healing Spa, creator of The Place to BE series, and developer of Sound Space Connect®, a framework exploring the relationship between sound, space, environment and human experience.
Through place-based experiences in environments including caves, planetariums, woodlands and heritage spaces, Tessa explores how sound, listening and atmosphere can shape the way people feel, perceive and connect within a space.
Her work brings together sound, environment and sensory awareness to create immersive experiences that are both accessible and deeply experiential.
