Cheddar is fifteen miles south of the West Country cities of Bristol and Bath, the beautiful Mendip Hills lie to the west and Glastonbury and the Somerset levels lie just to the south. It is easily accessible by road, the M5 (J5) runs nearby and the A38 runs through Cheddar but whatever direction your coming from Cheddar Gorge is well signposted by way of 'brown signs'. Buses 673 and 674 travel daily from Temple Meads, Bristol to Cheddar if you rely on public transport. Arriving at Cheddar Gorge is an eerie experience if you haven't visited before, one minute your driving through flat country lanes then suddenly the land becomes littered with rocky outcrops and then the road goes on a decline and cliffs appear either side, some of which are 400 ft high. Beware - rockfalls and goats in the road are a regular occurence in this unspoilt part of the country !

Firstly when you think of Cheddar you think of cheese and it is indeed this little town that invented Cheddar cheese a thousand years ago. Cheddar cheese is today the most popular cheese in the world and you can find several shops in the Gorge selling locally produced Cheddars plus some gimmick flavours which require an acquired taste. You can also visit a mini museum which explains how Cheddar cheese is made and matured. Because, a thousand years ago there was no such thing as patents, Cheddar cheese production spread throughout the world and the town prospered little from it's world renowned product, this still rankles a few locals to this day !

The caves themselves are a must visit, they are a wonderful experience which create awe and mystery in equal measures. The biggest cave is Gough's cave, named after Richard Gough who discovered it in 1890. This cave is very large and is full of stalagmites, stalagtites, limestone creations and clear, still rock pools. Also in this cave is 'The Cheddar Man' which was discovered in 1903. The Cheddar Man is a skeleton of a 42 year old caveman and at 9000 years old today he is the oldest ever complete skeleton found in Britain. Other bone remains have been found in the cave and evidence has also been found of cannibalism.

The caves are basically hairline cracks in the gorge, formed by rainwater over many thousands of years, they were originally the mouths of rivers but as the water table dropped over the centuries, the caves became dry. The lower levels of the caves are still full of water and are being explored by Cave experts but of course aren't open to the public.

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The caves are open every day of the year except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, in May to mid-September from 10 am - 5pm and from mid-September to April from 10.30 am - 4.40 pm.

Scattered throughout the Gorge are souvenir shops to commemorate your visit, theres also 'Cargo Cult' which is like a mini-tourist shop selling t-shirts and such like. The museum above Gough's cave is well worth a look. In this museum are remains found in the caves and a feature on cannibalism including theories on why it took place. Theres also Roman finds who mined the Gorge for Iron during their stay in Britain.

You will find no McDonalds or fast food outlets in Cheddar, the town remains largely unspoilt and the best way to eat is by the various Inns which lie in the Gorge. They are all child friendly and serve high quality home made meals for good value.

The cliffs of the Gorge are being deterioated year on year by vegetation which attacks the rocks, loosening it. This wasn't a problem in years gone by as sheepfarming was prevalent and the sheep ate everything in sight, however thesedays unprofitable sheepfarming in the area has ceased and the cliffs have been suffering. A short term measure has been a team of local people scouring the cliffs removing the vegetation by hand, this has been dangerous and only somewhat successful and a more longer term method is required to secure the future of Cheddar Gorge. A cablecar has been proposed above Cheddar Gorge providing visitors with an even more intense view of the cliffs, making the Gorge more disabled friendly in the process. This scheme, naturally, has a lot of opposition but the income it would generate could finance the re-introduction of sheepfarming in the area. It's a hard choice for the Marquiss of Bath (who owns the Gorge and surrounding area) to make but one he has to, I feel, to preserve the natural beauty of the landscape.

I would highly recommend a day out at Cheddar whether your local or a visitor to the area. You will need a whole day to make the most of your visit. There are sights to be seen above ground and under ground and It's great value too. Lot's of areas like this have been spoilt by tourism but Cheddar doesn't fall into that category, it looks the same today as it would have done a hundred years ago. You could encorporate your visit with a trip to Bristol or Bath nearby, bed and breakfast Inns and Hotels are plentiful within a ten mile radius.

Cheddar Caves and Gorge info centre. Tel: 01934 742343