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Situated in the midst of Somerset at the base of the Mendip Hills, the village of Cheddar, though small in stature, has a well deserved reputation among first-time visitors to south-west Britain. Famous for its popular namesake cheese, Cheddar is also home to one of the most impressive geological formations in the whole of Britain: Cheddar Gorge. So travel to Cheddar in Somerset this season and treat yourself to an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Britain's earliest settlers.
History of Cheddar
Cheddar is the site of one of the most valuable and rare discoveries in the history of archaeology and anthropology. Colloquially known as "Cheddar Man", the full remains of a 9,000 year-old skeleton were discovered in the Cheddar caves in the early 20th century along with many other ancient artefacts.
In the era of recorded history, on the other hand, Cheddar's origins date as far back as the Roman and Saxon period of Britain's history. Similar to other villages in Somerset, Cheddar merited a mention in the 11th century Domesday Book as small, yet thriving farming community. Out of this heritage, Cheddar developed as a textile town, but today, the town's chief attraction remains Cheddar Gorge, arguably the most unique geological formation in the country.
Cheddar Gorge and Cheddar Reservoir
As the largest such geological formation in the whole of Britain, Cheddar Gorge reaches a depth of 137 metres at its deepest point. Obviously, any visit to Cheddar would be incomplete without viewing the gorge's shear-faced cliffs and massive caves, the largest being Gough's Cave.
Gough's Cave stretches more than 2 kilometres to a maximum depth of 90 metres. Inside of the cave first-time visitors will be treated to glorious and rare limestone formations such as stalactites and stalagmites. So visitors interested in Cheddar's geology will be absolutely thrilled to give Gough's Cave a go.
If you would prefer above-ground sites of interest, travel a short distance to the west of Cheddar town centre and stand on the shores of Cheddar Reservoir, a man-made lake that is well regarded as a nature reserve. You can even enjoy days out on the water fishing and enjoying the scenery. Also, Cheddar Reservoir is well renowned as a choice destination for winter bird watching, too.
Cheddar Transport
Sadly, no direct railway serves the village of Cheddar, but still, the village is easily reached by road. In order to arrive in Cheddar, travel to Bristol and keep watch for the A38 and continue south. Once you reach the town of Axbridge, follow the A371 east to Cheddar town centre. Also, you can access Cheddar Reservoir via Axbridge.
Places to Stay in Cheddar
Cheddar has plenty of friendly, hospitable places to stay once you have arrived in town centre. First-time visitors may be shocked to find such a wide variety of accommodations in a village as compact as Cheddar. But fortunately, Cheddar has hotels, bed and breakfasts and even self-catering accommodations from which to choose on your next holiday.
Accommodation in Cheddar
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