Cheddar
Gorge, together with its caves, is well worth a visit if you are ever in north
Somerset. However, its popularity means that it is better to go there outside
the main tourist season.
Cheddar Gorge
The Mendip
Hills of Somerset are composed of carboniferous limestone rock that, over many
tens of thousands of years, has been worn down by the action of water and
partially dissolved by it. The formation of the rock means that it splits
naturally along weak points, so that streams can suddenly disappear underground
and excavate caverns as they find a new route to the sea. Eventually these
caverns can collapse. One place where this has happened is Cheddar Gorge.
The result is
a spectacular piece of scenery. The best way to see the gorge is to travel along
the minor road from Priddy to Cheddar, which takes you the whole length of the gorge,
about three miles. At first you are aware of the green hills getting higher on
either side of the road, but the further down you go, the steeper the hills
become until they are sheer, rocky cliffs. Watch the road though, because it
twists and turns, and at one point it is only wide enough for one car as it
dives down between two massive rocks. At the base of the gorge the cliffs are more
than 300 feet high on either side.
The gorge is
popular rock-climbing territory, but this is only advisable if you know what
you are doing and have all the right equipment. There are about 350 official
climbing routes within the gorge, and you can have climbing lessons if you are
a newbie.
At the end of
the gorge is the large village
of Cheddar , which is a
nightmare to travel through at the height of the tourist season, because of the
narrow roads and the number of people who want to come here. However, as with
most tourist traps, if you are prepared to walk a mile or so, you will soon
leave the crowds behind.
Although the
gorge is the result of the collapse of an ancient cave, there are other caves
that are far from collapsed, and some of these are open to the public and are easily
accessible from Cheddar village.
Cox’s Cave
Cox’s Cave
was discovered in 1837 during quarrying by George Cox, who found a series of
seven caverns, containing a wide variety of unusual and beautiful rock
formations. As water percolates through limestone, it dissolves small amounts
of calcium carbonate and other minerals. As it drips from the cave roof,
deposits are left behind, both on the roof and on the floor where the drops
land. Over many thousands of years, these deposits can form columns of rock,
those hanging down known as stalactites and those rising up known as
stalagmites. In places, the two columns can meet to form a natural roof
buttress.
In Cox’s Cave
you can see some very beautiful stalactites and stalagmites of all shapes and
sizes, some of them coloured by the minerals that were dissolved in the water
that made them. The colours range from black to white, via green, blue, yellow
and orange.
Gough’s Cave
Gough’s Cave
was discovered in 1903 by Richard Cox Gough, a relative of George Cox and a
local guide, who discovered the cave when he fell through the roof. The cave is
nearly 300 feet deep (luckily for Richard Gough, not at the place where he fell into it!) and more than a mile long, consisting of a series of
caverns of varying sizes. Some of the formations are truly spectacular, with
tiers of stalactites retreating into the distance and reflected in the still
pools below.
Evidence has
been found in Gough’s Cave of habitation by stone-age man. A cave painting of a
mammoth has been discovered that is estimated to be 13,000 years old, and the
nearly complete skeleton of a cave dweller from 9,000 years ago can be seen in
the local museum, along with flint axes and other implements.
You may also
see, in the cave, signs of what has made Cheddar world-famous, apart from the
gorge. This is Cheddar cheese, which has been produced locally at least as far
back as the 12th century. After the caves were discovered it became
common practice for cheese to be matured in the caves, and the practice has
recently been revived.
Other things
to see and do
There are
plenty of other caves in the area, but most are suitable only for properly
equipped cavers and potholers. However, Wookey Hole is only a few miles down
the road towards Wells, and this is another “public” cave that is well worth a
visit.
While
visiting the gorge, a walk up Jacob’s Ladder is worth the effort. This is a
flight of 274 steps leading to a lookout tower giving magnificent views over
the surrounding countryside. Other walks around the gorge will take you through
a nature reserve and to features including the Pinnacles, the highest point of
the gorge at 450 feet. The wildlife of the area includes rare butterflies and
insects, and plants that are unique to the gorge including the Cheddar pink.
Inside the caves are colonies of horseshoe bats.
Cheddar Gorge
is justifiably one of Britain ’s
most visited tourist destinations, which is why it is probably best to make
your visit out of season. The gorge itself is never closed, and the caves are
open throughout the year. They look much the same whether you come in February
or August!
© John
Welford
No comments:
Post a Comment