Cheddar Gorge and Caves Somerset Review
Cheddar Gorge and Caves
Somerset
Reviewed by Lora Hole
I have wanted to visit Cheddar Gorge and Caves since I moved to Somerset a few years ago so was really looking forward to a day out enjoying the many things on offer and it didn’t disappoint.
There are quite a few car parks to choose from at Cheddar Gorge and Caves but they fill up quickly so we parked our car in the car park just a bit further up the gorge from the entrance to Gough’s Cave. Parking is pay and display and costs £5 for the day. It can either be paid for by paying the parking attendant or by paying at the ticket desk at the entrance to Gough’s Cave where they will note down your car registration so you don’t have to walk back up the hill to the car park to display your ticket. There is a footpath from the car park down to the cave entrance.
We started our day out at Gough’s Cave but you can do the various activities in any order you choose. The friendly lady at the ticket desk suggested we followed the numbered map if we wanted to do them in order from top of the gorge to the bottom. You are given an audio guide at the entrance and as you go through the cave there are numbers which you type into it to hear interesting facts about that part of the cave. The audio guide is available in English, French and German and there’s also a kids version to keep them entertained. The audio guides are a great way to bring the whole place to life and teach you lots of little facts about the caves characteristics which you wouldn’t know otherwise. We found the cave really interesting with lots of areas of beauty and even saw where they age their famous cheddar cheese. On our way out of Gough’s Cave, we went to Costa Coffee and then down to the shop which sells lots of nice cave related souvenirs.
Our next stop was the Museum of Pre-history which had lots of artefacts and information about how our ancestors lived. The museum includes some of the finds from the caves including flint tools and some skull fragments showing proof that cannibalism existed.
We then walked down the Gorge to Cox’s Cave and The Crystal Quest. A very friendly woman greeted us and gave us a bit of information about the cave and gave my daughter a sticker which she was very happy about. This cave is very pretty however it is small with narrow pathways to navigate so may not suit everyone. The second part of the cave is where The Crystal Quest begins which is a nod to Lord of the Rings due to a visit JRR Tolkien had made to the caves. There is an exit before you begin your quest as it could be scary for young children however, we had our 3 year old daughter with us and she didn’t seem to mind it.
Our final stop for the day was the Gorge Bus Tour which takes you from the bottom of the Gorge back up to the top on an open top double decker bus. There is a guide providing interesting commentary about the attractions available at Cheddar Gorge and some information about the history of Cheddar. We really enjoyed it and we were really lucky that the weather was brilliant the day we went. The bus tour stops just outside Gough’s Cave at the top of the Gorge which was really handy for us as that was where our car was parked and saved us walking all the way back up the Gorge. The bus also goes back to the bottom of the Gorge so is handy for those parked down there too.
We really enjoyed our day at Cheddar Gorge and Caves however, if you’re feeling adventurous, there’s more you can do such as, walk up to the Lookout Tower which is 247 steps up the side of the Gorge or the 3 mile Cliff-Top Gorge Walk. There is also Cheddar Gorge X-Treme which includes rock climbing and adventure caving which can be booked separately from your day ticket.
I would say the tickets are a little bit expensive but you could easily fill a whole day with all the activities on offer. Due to the lay out, you get a chance to visit all the pretty little shops and eateries between each attraction which makes it a unique place to visit and I would love to return again in the future. It’s one of the top attractions in the South West and definitely somewhere I would take my family when they next come to visit us in Somerset.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost £18.95 (adult), £12.95 (child 5-15 years) with under 5’s free. You can save 15% by booking online in advance.
For more information or to book tickets visit www.cheddargorge.co.uk.
Cheddar Gorge & Caves, Cheddar, Somerset, BS27 3QF | 01934 742343
