Two nights/three days in Cheddar

[HelpsHeal]

I'm going with teen DS, we share an interest in Geology and hiking and very little else

Two half days and a full day, what would your itinerary be?

Cheddar gorge has (or had) a very good caving tour / experience. It was so good that I found it quite scary in places. The cave itself is obviously pretty good and the villages isn't bad. The cheese and cider are both great.

Wookey Hole is a different Cave. I can't say I liked it all that much and I preferred Cheddar Gorge. Wookey Hole was a lot more commercialized and felt a bit touristy and tat because of it.

Glastonbury is different with a lot of witch-type shops and is the centre of a number of ley lines.

Bath is nearby too and pretty decent (though a bit sterile in a Georgian sort of a way.

There's also the coast nearby with Clevedon, Nailsea and Portishead being better than Weston Super Mare which is a bit run down.

I used to live down that neck of the woods, but it was a while ago

We walked up the Tor early in the morning too - best at sunrise or sunset. Bus from the town - really nice Tudor style pub down an alleyway at Glastonbury can’t remember the name - the lamb? Really nice lunch there

That's with children presumably though? I don't think 19yo DS will be making full use of soft play!

Cheddar caves are good, the big walk up along the gorge and down the road is great. There's a couple of nice independent shops, best cream tea is at the lion rock tea rooms. There's a nice cheap little crazy golf that's good too.

The reservoir is nice on a good day and you can bike round or do paddle boarding on the lake sometimes.
Loads of lovely walks in/around the mendips, crooks peak etc. There's llamas around there too.

Just back from Cheddar. We parked at black rock (national trust sign). Drive through cheddar gorge from the village and you’ll see the parking at the very start of the gorge. You can park for free. Start walking on the opposite side of the road, follow the path to the end of the gorge and then down Jacob’s ladder (free if you do
it this way round). Cross the gorge and either come back on the opposite side or walk up through the gorge back to the car to see it from ground level.

Book caving and lots of other activities through mendip activity centre- much more adventurous than looking in the tourist caves at cheddar. More pot holing and squeezing through spaces! Also lots of other reasonably priced activities like abseiling.

Glastonbury tor is also a lovely but short walk.

Definitely recommend Mendip Activity Centre- loads to book and cheaper than activities at Cheddar gorge.

A few nice historical walks nearby:
Above Shipham there's a mining self guided trail you can download (free). Includes iron age hill fort Dolebury Warren. Nice food pub Swan at Rowberrow.

Burrington Combe/Blackdown/Burrington Ham. Google Blackdown history, some WW2 stuff, iron age barrows, stone age cave paintings (not accessible sadly).

Charterhouse (more old mines) and Ebbor Gorge.

The Italian and Thai in Cheddar (bottom of Gorge) recommended.

Forgot to say that you don’t need a map etc for the gorge walk. The trail is marked and it’s a very clear path to follow.

We saw a fairly decent circus show at Wookey pre covid.
Wells is pretty and worth a visit
The gorge walk us nice
See how cheddar cheese is made
Sometimes you can see water voles on the pond
Lots of tourist tat.

You could also walk to Crook's Peak or drive to Brent Knoll or Brean Down. There are so many great walks.

Or hire bicycles and do the strawberry line.

La rocca Italian in cheddar is lovely! We went to Weston super mare beach as well. Brean down is amazing a national trust car park and a massive hill to walk up with a stunning sandy beach.

Some posters have referred to Wookey. Wookey and Wookey Hole are two different villages, both a couple of miles from Wells. Wookey Hole is the one you want.

If you carry on through Wookey Hole (away from Wells) there are some good walks and views around Ebbor Gorge and further up still at Deerleap.

Wells is definitely worth a visit, with its cathedral, Bishop's Palace and Vicars Close, plus a museum.

Glastonbury Tor is a bit of a climb but well worth it for the views. Glastonbury also has an old (ruined) Abbey which might be of interest.

If you fancy shopping, Clarks Village is nearby in Street.

I would highly recommend parking at Wookey Hole caves and walking up through ebbor gorge, if you google it it then there are some routes with explanation of what you can see on it. Amazing walk, and if you are into geology you will appreciate it even more.
suggest as others have said getting an OS map.
Did cheddar walk last week, it is always muddy and plenty of people doing it so east to follow the route.

Wookey Hole far more touristy and aimed at children.

Did the Crooks Peak walk near cheddar recently which was nice. Has the highest point on the mendips I believe

Have you been yet OP? Did your daughter enjoy the soft play? 😉