Spelunking in Nidlenloch

This weekend I visited a friend in Switzerland and we went spelunking in the Nidlenloch caves. It was an amazing experience. The caves are noncommercial and a favorite among the locals. The cool part was that even though you feel like you are deep, down in the heart of the earth, you are actually high in the sky because the caves are located in the top of a mountain.
We didn't use any technical equipment, just a helmet and a headlamp. There were, however, ropes and chains installed within the cave in some places where belaying would normally be necessary. It's recommended to go with a guide, but not mandatory. We went with a family friend who was familiar with the cave system.
We spent over 4 hours inside, including a lunch break. It was basically a lot of bouldering in the dark- an exhilarating experience! It never became mundane because the terrain was always changing. Sometimes it would be longer bouldering routes, then it would turn into a crawl space (the worst is called the Virgin Mary because it's comparable to a birthing canal- thankfully it only lasts about 20 feet), then there would be ropes with knots as hand holds where you would self belay down a sheer face, and other times there would be chains to help you up slippery slopes. It got very tight at times, but then it would suddenly open up into a labyrinth of passages.
Nidlenloch is overall a pleasant place for adventure. It's a very moderate level of caving and I'd recommend it to anyone who is active and not scared of the dark. I myself am prone to claustrophobia, and I was able to overcome my fear!

Access: The cable car no longer runs up the mountain, so the only option is by car. From Solothurn, follow the mountain road to Weissenstein, one of the peaks in the Jura chain. It's a short, but steep, hike to the cave entrance. The entrance is gated and in order to get the key you have to go inside the restaurant and tell them how many are in your group and what time you expect to be out of the caves. That way, if you don't return they will send a rescue team to come find you.

Coming out of the Virgin Mary/birth canal.