Cheddar Gorge

About this drive

Cheddar Gorge is the largest gorge in the United Kingdom — a 3-mile canyon cut through the Mendip Hills limestone plateau by meltwater at the end of the last ice age, with cliff walls reaching 137 metres at their highest point. The B3135 runs through the floor of the gorge, making it one of the most dramatic short drives in England despite covering only a few miles from top to bottom. The gorge has been inhabited for at least 40,000 years — Cheddar Man, Britain's oldest complete human skeleton, was found in one of the gorge's caves in 1903. The limestone has been carved by underground rivers into a cave system open to visitors; Gough's Cave is where Cheddar Man was discovered. The farmhouses of the gorge gave the world a cheese and a word used in dozens of languages. The road is narrow and busy in summer. The best time to appreciate the gorge is early morning before the tourist traffic builds, or in autumn when the woodland on the upper slopes colours. The viewpoint at the top of the gorge (274 steps up Jacob's Ladder) gives the most complete view of the canyon from above, and the walk along the clifftop to Black Rock Gate is straightforward and rewarding.

Stops along the way

• 📸 Jacob's Ladder & Lookout Tower · Scenic Viewpoint

  274 steps up to a tower with views back down the length of the gorge.