Six places which could be safe if World War Three erupts – including two in UK

With the Doomsday Clock remaining extremely close to midnight and Donald Trump striking Iran after previously suggesting the US was on the verge of World War Three, tensions are extremely high across the globe.

Last year, Britain’s top general, General Sir Patrick Sanders, warned civilians could be conscripted to fight a war against Russia, saying the UK’s military is much ‘too small’ to handle such a conflict on its own.

General Sanders’ remarks come nearly two years after he said Britain was facing a ‘1937 moment’ – a reference to the two years preceding the Second World War.

If full-blown world conflict breaks out, AKA World War Three, there are several places across the globe which would probably be safe – two of which are located in the UK.

But don’t start packing your bags and planning to move into these options, as one of them is reserved for the prime minister.

Metro has taken a look at some of the safest places across the globe to hide out in case nuclear war erupts.

Wood Norton, Worcestershire

Wood Norton, a tunnel network running deep into the Worcestershire forest, is easy to miss from above ground. Only a small radio mast and security banner is visible from ground level.

Originally bought by the BBC at the beginning of World War Two, its initial purpose was to be a hidden base for the broadcaster in the event a crisis in London.

Wood Norton is now used as a training base for sound engineers and technical staff at the broadcasting company.

Its mast would continue broadcasting messages from the BBC if the UK were ever to go into crisis mode.

Also referred to as PAWN, Protected Area Wood Norton, the site boasts several storeys of architecture underground.

BBC documents released in 2016 revealed that the base would be utilised in the event of a grave attack on the UK.

The facility is reportedly able to house up 90 BBC staff – including 12 news editors and sub-editors – and is even equipped with a ping-pong table.

Pindar, London

Construction of Pindar began as the Cold War was drawing to a close, with the aim of ensuring the government could continue in the event of armageddon.

Much about Pindar is a closely guarded secret, but a few details were provided by then-armed forces minister Jeremy Hanley in the House of Commons two years after the facility opened in 1992.

He said: ‘The purpose of the Pindar joint operations centre is to provide the government with a protected crisis management facility.’

The complex is ‘manned by a permanent staff, which is augmented as necessary in times of crisis’, he added, and includes allocated space for ‘ministers, senior military and civilian personnel, plus service and civilian operational and support staff’.

Situated deep below the Ministry of Defence HQ, just north of the Houses of Parliament on the River Thames, Pindar contains enough beds, toilets and food to keep its inhabitants alive for as long as may be necessary.

It’s thought the facility can be accessed directly from Downing Street and other government buildings via a system of tunnels.

Peters Mountain, Virginia

Peters Mountain, situated in the vast Appalachian Mountains, has beenused as an AT&T communications station for some time.

You can even see an AT&T logo painted on a helicopter landing pad.

It serves as one of several secret centres also known as AT&T project offices, which are essential for the US government’s continuity planning.

The centre can house a few hundred people, and according to Mr Graff, the bunker has received renovations costing $67 million in recent years.

He stated that if an attack on Washington were to occur, it would potentially be used as a relocation site for intelligence agencies.

Raven Rock Mountain Complex, Pennsylvania

The Raven Rock Mountain Complex, dubbed ‘Harry’s Hole’ after President Truman who gave the project the thumbs-up, has maintained an air of mystery since its construction began in 1948, first opening its doors in 1953.

Raven’s Rock was constructed with the intention of being a ‘centrepiece of a large emergency hub’ according to Garret Graff, author of Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself – While The Rest Of Us Die.

Boasting 100,000 feet of office space, the bunker could facilitate up to 1,400 people.

The base also has two 1,000 foot-long tunnels as well as 34-ton blast doors to help reduce the impact of a possible bomb attack.

The site was placed into standby mode by President George H.W. Bush in 1991 – however, $652million worth of upgrades were added to the site following 9/11.

According to Graff, the underground city was kitted out with 27 new fuel tanks in 2012, both carrying 20,000 gallons.

Right now the bunker is thought to have 900,000 square feet of office space, as well as space for 3,000-5,000 government employees. However, family members wouldn’t be allowed to live in the base.

Mr Graff added: ‘Families would have been prohibited from Raven Rock — as they would have been from effectively all of the Doomsday bunkers. 

‘Although in recent years as the veil of complete secrecy has lifted, family members of Raven Rock personnel are allowed to visit it for specific ceremonies. 

‘So at the very least, family members today can picture where their relatives will spend Doomsday, even as they’re barred outside.’ 

Cheyenne Mountain Complex

Cheyenne Mountain Complex, located in El Paso County, Colorado, is a defence bunker for the United States Space Force.

Better known as the headquarters for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the site was built in the 1950s over paranoia about the Cold War.

Its five chambers have reservoirs for fuel and water – and in one section there’s even reportedly an underground lake.

Almost $40 million was invested into the facility in order to kit it out with the best technology, including 15 console displays and three room-sized Philco 212 computers.

The Cheyenne Mountain Complex costs $250,000,000 to run every year and can hold up to 1,000 people a month.

It was on the brink of closure prior to 9/11 and was briefly put on standby mode in 2006, but the Obama administration revived the base and the Pentagon announced it would re-staff the bunker in 2015.

Camp Century tunnels, Greenland

Deep below the thick ice of Greenland lies a labyrinth of tunnels that were once thought to be the safest place on Earth in case of a war.

First created during the Cold War, Project Iceworm saw the US plan to store hundreds of ballistic missiles in a system of tunnels dubbed ‘Camp Century’.

At the time, US military chiefs had hoped to launch a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union during the height of Cold War tensions if things escalated.

But less than a decade after it was built, the base was abandoned in 1967 after researchers realised the glacier was moving.

The sprawling sub-zero tunnels have been brought back to attention after recent tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States.

The underground 1.8mile (3km) network of tunnels once included labs, shops, a cinema, a hospital, and accommodation for hundreds of soldiers.

A version of this article was published in February 2024.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.