Cheddar Gorge
Britain's largest limestone gorge, with a clifftop loop trail and caves. Cheddar cheese is matured inside the caves.
Cheddar Gorge lies on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills and is the largest gorge in Britain. Its limestone cliffs rise about 137 m. A circular trail along the clifftop (about 5.5 km) offers views over the road and village of Cheddar below, and wild goats are often seen. The stalactite formations of Gough's Cave at the bottom of the gorge are spectacular. In 1903, the skeleton of 'Cheddar Man', about 9,000 years old, was discovered here. The village also has cheese workshops, and traditional Cheddar cheese is matured in the rock caves. A combined cave ticket costs about £20 to £30, while the clifftop trail is free. It is about 40 minutes by car from Bath, and public transport is inconvenient.
Opening hours
Cave about 10:00–17:00; trail open all day
Nearby sights
- Wells Cathedral
- Glastonbury Abbey
- Glastonbury Tor
- Clifton Suspension Bridge
- SS Great Britain
- Royal Crescent
- The Circus
- Jane Austen Centre