Cheddar Gorge and the Mendip Hills

Tuesday 6th May 2008

For the last day of my holiday I stopped off on my way home from Dartmoor in the town of Cheddar to visit the spectacular Cheddar Gorge and up the Mendip hills, and I had brilliant weather for the last day of my holiday (almost too good, it was very hot). I started by climbing onto the southern cliffs of the gorge on an unrelenting climb all the way up to the top of the hill but rewarded me with stunning views of the gorge far below. The sheer cliff faces were quite scary in their steepness and my slight vertigo manifested itself in a reluctance and general unease as I ventured near the edge. Nevertheless I got as close as possible to get the photos I wanted but I was frustrated by a sharp bend in the gorge that obscured my views of the eastern half of the gorge. 

Completing the climb to the top of the hill failed to deliver views of the rest of the gorge as once I was over the top I plunged into woodland, which although lovely didn't me any views. Descending steeply through the bluebell laden woods I eventually emerged at the road, which I crossed and entered the Black Rock woods. A walk along the bottom of this valley rewarded me with a really pleasant walk in wonderful weather through peaceful surroundings to the quaintly named Velvet Bottom. There, I began to ascend past a series of small dams that were a puzzle until I arrived at what was clearly the remains of a mine, later revealed to be a Victorian lead mine, and the dams were the remains of settling ponds. The uneven ground of the mine and the black stone slag from the mining merely adding to the awesome atmosphere and it was with regret that I eventually emerged out of the mine and onto a road. With the more picturesque part of the walk over I walked along the road towards two radio masts and beyond onto an area of open ground, mainly heather and gorse that contains the highest ground in the Mendip Hills. Climbing up the hill, I reached the trig point at Beacon Batch, but even though this is the highest point, the ground is quite flat so the views were none existent with just heathland as far as the horizon, and that was not far away. It seemed a rather desolate and barren area even though it was actually quite small. 

Continuing onward I decided I didn’t want to do my original plan which was to descend onto the Somerset Levels and walk all the way to Yatton railway station along a disused railway line, the Strawberry Line. After my disappointing walk beside Cheddar Gorge and in view of the brilliant weather I had in mind to double back on myself and return to Cheddar Gorge, so with this mind I continued along the top of Back Down and entered the woodland, Rowberrow Warren. There I followed a very pleasing woodland walk along forest tracks slowly descending to the picturesque Rowberrow Bottom where I had my lunch. It was wonderful and peaceful sitting at the bottom of the valley with a stream trickling by and the sun shining brightly overhead through the trees. Soon I resumed my walk climbing beside the stream on the bridlepath of the West Mendip Way, eventually emerging from the wood and passing through Tyning’s Farm onto a road. A short walk along the road and across a couple of fields brought me to the top of a narrow valley that contains Long Wood. Descending to the valley bottom was a delight both visually and nasally as the wood was covered by white and blue flowers and smelt of wild garlic. This was an enchanting place that I would have loved to have lingered in but sadly my path merely skirted the edge and I had other places to go. 

At the bottom of the valley I left the colourful display behind and re-entered Velvet Bottom returning to Black Rock on the road at the top of Cheddar Gorge. This time I climbed steeply up the northern slopes on a better managed path (this side is owned by the National Trust) to vantage points that afforded me with amazing views of the stunning gorge. After prolonged views of the gorge I climbed down the manufactured steps to the valley bottom right beside the tourist shops. The blatant commercialisation of this natural beauty spot made me sick so I despondently walked along the road into the gorge and away from the shops. The views from the bottom were possibly better than they were from the top with enormous cliffs towering overhead but it was rather ruined by the road that threads along the bottom of the gorge. Nothing could have more ruined this natural masterpiece than a road and it makes one despair. Returning through the commercialisation I came back to Cheddar and caught a bus to Weston in order to begin my journey home. Cheddar Gorge is an awesome sight sadly partly ruined by materialism.