The Cheddar Gorge and Caves

Cheddar Gorge lies on the edge of the Mendip Hills in Somerset and is the largest gorge in the UK. It is situated about 20 miles south west of Bristol between Weston-Super-Mare and Shepton Mallet along the A371, via the B3135, up Cliff Road and into the gorge. Parking is easy in winter and the gorge is within walking distance. Cheddar is famous for its cheese, strawberries, cream teas and is a major tourist attraction. The magnificent limestone gorge and caves are home to many rare species. There are spectacular walks around the Mendips, cycle tracks and climbing.

Limestone Caves, Cheddar Gorge
Time lapse using a digital camera and the small amounts of available artificial lighting

Gough’s cave, leading to the Diamond Chamber and Solomon's Temple, is the largest of the caves and was discovered in 1890 by sea captain Richard Gough. The exhibition explains how the cave was carved out over a million years by ice age meltwaters. Cheddar Man is Britain's oldest complete skeleton. Visitors can discover how mankind managed to survive ice ages, famines and predators. Our ancestors liked to eat people, Gough's Cave is Britain's first cannibal site. Cox’s cave is small with narrow, winding passages with beautiful colours and mirror pools. It was discovered by mill-owner George Cox in 1837 by one of his workmen collecting rocks for a new building. Follow the Crystal quest: an adventure with wizards, goblins, fairy princesses and a smoke-breathing dragon, created by magician Rowland Pavey.

Limestone Caves, Cheddar Gorge
Emerald green waters with gold and white formations

Jacobs Ladder with its 274 steps takes visitors on a journey through the ice ages from the bottom of Britain's biggest gorge to the top where Pavey’s Lookout Tower gives wonderful views across to Exmoor and the Mendip Hills,Somerset Levels' and Glastonbury Tor. Don’t forget your camera! The cliff top gorge walk is a 3-mile circular route marked out for walkers to explore the 300-acre estate, returning through National Trust land across the Gorge. Visitors can picnic above the Pinnacles, Britain's highest inland cliffs where Peregrine Falcons nest.

The Pinnacles, Cheddar

climbing is allowed all year on Arch Rock and Stepped Wall. However elsewhere climbing is only allowed in the winter and there are several excellent climbs leading to marvellous views. There is also a camp site open for most of November at the top end of the gorge. There are two ways back down from the top of the climbs but the easiest is go straight up, find the tourist path which leads west and down the Jacobs Ladder

Cheddar Gorge

Cheddar Gorge

www.cheddarcaves.co.uk

Contributed by: Paul Smythe