Last Updated: December 19, 2022
Cheddar Gorge is one of the most popular hikes in the UK. Being the largest gorge in England it has some stunning views as you walk around these limestone cliffs.
So if you are in this neck of the woods and want to get out there and enjoy some exercise, you should head to Cheddar Gorge.
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Where is Cheddar Gorge?
You guessed it, it’s in Cheddar. Cheddar is a village in the county of Somerset, in the West Country of England. And is famous for a few things other than the gorge.
It’s the birthplace of Cheddar Cheese. With legend saying that Cheddar Cheese was accidentally created when someone left some milk out in one of the caves. Only to return to the hardened, tangy substance that we all know and love today!
Although Cheddar doesn’t have any formal rights to the originality of the cheese, you can still head to one of the cheese shops to get some ‘authentic’ cheddar cheese after the hike if you fancy.
As Cheddar is based in the the county of Somerset, you will also find numerus cider shops. Here, you will be spoilt for choice on ciders from Somerset as well as other areas. This was of much more interest to me after the long walk!
It’s a beautiful quant village and is worth a walk around before or after your walk up the gorge.
How do you get to Cheddar Gorge?
If you’re driving, then Cheddar is easily accessible from A39 or A38, depending on which side you are coming in from. You will then head down the A371 to get to to the village.
You can then actually drive straight through the Gorge and admire from the bottom if you don’t fancy the walk.
If you do fancy the walk, then Cheddar has a few car parks to choose from.
If you want to park in the village then the car parks all have various charges, usually around a £5 for all day. Even though the Cheddar Gorge is part owned by National Trust the car parks are not. So you won’t get any discount for being a National Trust member unfortunately.
There are also free parking spots dotted about Cheddar and on the Cliff Road, but these are a little trickier to nab. You can actually park at the half way point on Cliff Road for free, then do the loop from there instead. But as this is a small layby there are very limited spaces so can be tricky, particularly on weekends and during holidays.
If you’re coming by public transport then the nearest major train station is Western Super Mare.
Bristol has regular trains to Wester Super Mare and it’s also reachable on some National Express Coach Services.
Once at Wester Super Mare, you will need to take bus 126 all the way to Cheddar. This takes approximately an hour.
Once you are in the village, Cheddar Gorge is right next to it. So you can then walk to the start of the track (detail below).
Where can you Stay Near Cheddar Gorge?
As Cheddar is quite small it only offers up a few hotels and B&Bs. There is a YHA you can stay in if you’re looking for a cheaper stay.
If you’re camping or caravanning there are a few options with dotted on the edge of Cheddar with easy walks through the village to get to the Gorge Walk track.
Is Cheddar Gorge Walk Free?
Yes. The Cheddar Gorge Cliff Top Walk is completely Free. It is a public bridle way and is accessible to anyone from the public.
However, some of the other sites and attractions that relate to the Gorge are not. Gough’s Cave, Cox’s Cave and to walk up Jacob’s Ladder all require a paid ticket. You can get prices and further information at the Cheddar Gorge website.
How hard is Cheddar Gorge Walk for Kids?
Cheddar Gorge walk, or the Cheddar Gorge Clifftop walk as it’s also called, is usually classed as an ‘intermediate’ difficulty level with some ‘challenging’ sections. So this sometimes puts off families with smaller kids. But it’s actually a very doable walk for smaller kids providing they are reasonably good walkers.
The ‘challenging’ sections are when you ascend the to the top of the gorge. You will basically do this twice, at the start and then about half way as you go down and up again across the gorge.
The first ascend is by far the steepest and the one that some people struggle with. But being at the start of the trail has a big advantage, as the kids will be full of energy at this point (especially if you’ve got them an ice cream in Cheddar for an additional energy boost to get them going!). Our 6 year old raced up the initial ascent no problem.
The remainder of the walk is pretty mild and flat with a few ups and downs, but nothing major.
So as long as you just take your time at the ascending areas and know that once you’re at the top it gets a lot easier, then you should be ok. There’s no rush up, so just take breaks when needed.
The circular route is supposed to take 3 hours on average. This seems a little overestimated as it took us around 3 hours with a 6 year old in tow. So anyone with older kids will probably smash it in way less than this.
It can be attempted in most weather conditions, bar the very extreme. But the steep climbs can get very slippery in wet weather, so take extra care on wet days. Also, windy and foggy conditions can make the top more treacherous with the steep drops. So again common sense and extra care may be needed in some weather.
The Cheddar Gorge Route
If you’re beginning in the Cheddar Village then the best place to start is Cufic Lane, which is opposite ‘The Original Cheddar Cheese’ shop.
It’s important that you don’t start at Jacob’s Ladder, as you will have to pay to ascend the ladder. But if you come down it at the end, you will not have to pay. It’s also a lot easier to walk down then up with all those steps! So ensure you do the loop the right way.
If you have parked at the half way point parking area, then you will start… well… half way from this description.
But let’s start from Cheddar. Once you have found Cufic Lane, walk up it and you will quickly get to the sign post pointing right to the track. Go through the gate, look up, and probably gulp!
Here comes the steep bit. Take a deep breath, get your kids psyched and begin!
Even though this bit is steep, it is also nice part of the trail as it is very shaded by all the trees. So on a hot day, this cover can really help keep your energy levels up without the sun sapping them from you. It also gives a bit of cover if it is raining.
The woods are really beautiful as well. So take your time and enjoy your surroundings taking breaks whenever the going gets tough.
Once you are at the top, the woodlands will clear and you will see the Cheddar Gorge stretched out before you. Your first good viewpoint is here. Take a break and enjoy!
From here the terrain is pretty mild. With a well trampled and obvious footpath snaking through grassy and woodland areas with various good views of the gorge.
Mountain Goats and Sheep roam the gorge (and sometimes streets surrounding it!). If you bump into one remember they are wild animals so treat them with respect and caution. But they can make a fun addition to the walk for the kids if you pass any by.
Eventually you will make your way down the gorge again. Cross over the Cliff Road that runs through the gorge. This essentially makes it the half way point and is also one of the potential options for parking as mentioned earlier.
After you have crossed the road, you will head back up to the top of the gorge again on the other side. This second ascent winds up a bit more slowly and is less steep than the initial ascent at the beginning of the trail. But still a bit of a challenge for some smaller and tired legs. Again, just take it slow.
The second half of the walk you will be looping back round and see the Gorge from the other side. There are some more great viewpoints here. But be very careful not to go too close to the edge, there are some very steep sudden drops.
You also get great views of Cheddar Reservoir and the Cheddar Village on this side of the gorge.
Eventually you will get to the Lookout Tower. Have a climb up and a look from the tower if you want, although the views aren’t as impressive as some you will have already seen on the walk. But it can still be fun to climb the tower.
Jacob’s Ladder is also next to the tower. So you can can make your way down the 274 steps, with a couple of rest spots and information boards on the way down to have a rest and a read.
Head through the exit turnstile at the bottom, and just like that you are back in Cheddar!