Cheddar Gorge and Caves

The Largest Gorge In Britain, With Cliffs Up To About 137 M, In The Mendip Hills Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Gough'S Cave Yielded Cheddar Man, A Roughly 9,000 Year Old Skeleton, And The Village Gave Its Name To Cheddar Cheese. · Cheddar, England

Cheddar Gorge is the largest gorge in Britain, a limestone cut through the Mendip Hills in Somerset, with cliffs up to about 137 m. A narrow road winds through it from Cheddar village. It is an easy day out from Bath, Bristol or Wells and suits families, short walkers and anyone curious about caves and early British history. Gough's Cave produced Cheddar Man, a roughly 9,000-year-old skeleton, and the village gave its name to cheddar cheese. Be honest about the crowds: the gorge road is busy, narrow and in places has no pavement, so walking beside traffic is unpleasant in summer. The village is touristy, with gift shops and cafes, and car parking costs money. The show caves are ticketed, while the cliff-top walk and the around 270 steps of Jacob's Ladder are free. Allow a half day to a full day, and come on a weekday if you can. Even then, expect queues at the caves and in the village car parks in school holidays.

Limestone gorge in the Mendip Hills of Somerset, a road through the cliffs above the village of Cheddar, with show caves (Gough's Cave and Cox's Cave), a cliff-top walk and a cheese company beside the main road, Cheddar, England, United Kingdom

The gorge road and the cliff-top walk are open all hours, since they are a public road and public paths. The show caves, Gough's Cave and Cox's Cave, the Jacob's Ladder attraction and the cheese company shop keep daytime hours, usually from about 10am to 4 or 5pm, and are shorter in winter, so confirm before you go. Some attractions close for maintenance in January. Car parks charge by day and fill by late morning in summer and at weekends. The cliff walk has no lighting and the road through the gorge is unlit, so do not plan to walk after dusk. Cheddar Man and the museum displays are in the cave exhibition during opening hours only.

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