Cheddar Gorge, Caves and walks, Somerset
Cheddar is a small village on the edge of the Mendip Hills in Somerset. Behind the village are the steep cliffs of Cheddar Gorge, the deepest gorge in England and the famous caves that run underneath the surrounding hills. It has been identified as an area of outstanding natural beauty and is owned on the north side by the National Trust and the south side with the caves by the Longleat Estate.
Exploring cheddar
cheddar gorge
Cheddar Gorge is over 130 metres deep and three miles long and is England’s largest gorge. The cliffs are rough and weathered with crags and pinnacles high above the road. The gorge was formed during the last Ice Age when the water from melting glaciers formed a river that over time carved into the limestone rocks. Over time the Cheddar Yeo River started to travel underground through the limestone making the caves which can be visited. The river runs through Cheddar Village with the road through the gorge starting on the banks of the river.
Cheddar Caves
The Cheddar Caves have a long history with evidence of them being inhabited between 12000 and 13000 years ago with Cheddar Man being discovered in 1903 who was alive around 9000 years ago. They are now a large tourist attraction with over 500000 visitors each year. As well as the caves there are walks above the gorge and a small museum about Cheddar Man. The caves and gorge are one of the best places to learn about caving and climbing in the UK.
Cheddar Village
Cheddar village is located at the bottom of the gorge. This small village is a hub for the surrounding villages and has some small shops. In the centre of the village is the ancient sandstone market cross, the remains of a Saxon palace and the minster church. There is also the Cheddar Reservoir which is popular with bird watchers as it has some unusual visitors from time to time.
Cheddar Cheese and Strawberries
I don’t normally say anything about food, but cheddar cannot be talked about without mentioning Cheddar cheese. Everyone has heard about it and this is the best place to find cheese. True cheddar cheese is sold in the village shops and the cheese is matured in the cool depths of the caves. cheddar is also known for its Cheddar strawberries. These are grown on the farms surrounding the village. These are grown commercially and there was once the Strawberry Train line which took the strawberries from the Cheddar Valley to the markets in Bristol and beyond. All of the local farms have little roadside stalls selling their strawberries and they are smaller and sweeter than fruits grown elsewhere.
Walks from Cheddar
Cheddar is home for me and there are so many walks around Cheddar that the options are limitless. Here are a few to get started.
Cheddar Gorge Loop
This walk starts from the bottom of the gorge and heads up the north side of the gorge above Lion Rock following the footpath to the very top of the gorge. From here the path crosses the main gorge road before heading back down the south side of the gorge above the caves. There are several spots along the cliffs where you can view the road below before reaching the Lookout Tower and a small path back down into Cheddar. This walk is about 4 miles long across rough terrain and needs sensible boots.
Black Rock and Long Wood
This has to be one of our favourite walks from Cheddar. The parking for this walk is at the very top of the gorge before the road heads out onto the Mendip Hills and is the crossing point for the Cheddar Gorge Loop Walk. The path follows the valley past the lime kilns from the quarry and then enters the woodland which is known as Long Wood in the spring is full of bluebells and wild garlic. This is a beautiful walk with wild orchids, herb robert and other wildflowers all along the side of the path.
Cheddar Reservoir
A short distance from the madness of the caves is Cheddar Reservoir. It can be seen from the Lookout Tower at the top of Jacobs Ladder so finding it isn’t difficult. This is a more laid-back walk than either the loop or Black Rock. Half of the reservoir edge is paved and ideal for walking and small people on bikes. The second half is rougher with just a gravel path and grazing sheep. The wind can howl across the reservoir making it chilly a lot of the time. The complete loop is about 2 miles and can be walked in under an hour. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from the gorge to the reservoir.
Getting to Cheddar Gorge and Caves
Cheddar is located about 40 minutes drive south of Bristol on the A38 and is the perfect day trip from Bristol and is close to Wells, the smallest city in England. There is limited public transport so you need a car to explore this part of the country. Once in Cheddar follow the signs to the Gorge where there is lots of pay and display parking. This parking continues up the gorge. Make sure you pay as the traffic wardens are efficient. You can explore the whole area for free apart from the Caves and their associated attractions.
If you are exploring the caves then you will need to buy a Gorge and Caves Explorer ticket. This can be purchased online with a 15% saving from the Gorge website.
Driving and Walking through Cheddar Gorge – How to Stay Safe
Cheddar Gorge is a stunning drive, however, the road is narrow and winding with a few pinch points where there are narrow blind bends. People tend to go quite fast on this road, especially at night so you need to keep your eyes on the road. This can be a problem when you are trying to look at the gorge itself. Up the gorge there are parking areas so don’t be afraid to stop and look at the views. This is much safer than trying to look and drive. There are no verges that are safe for stopping, so make use of the parking areas.
If you are walking up the gorge stay to the side of the road and be aware of the traffic around you. Coaches, cars and motorbikes have limited space without walkers adding to the mix. If you have to walk along the gorge then always make sure you walk towards the oncoming traffic and keep as close to the cliffs as you can. Stick to the paths as the cliffs and meadow areas can be unstable with regular rock falls. On a busy day, it is much easier to drive the gorge and pull into parking areas than play with the traffic.