All you need to know for a day trip to Cheddar Gorge

Cheddar Gorge is situated in the South of the Mendip Hills, in the South West of the UK. It’s a perfect day trip from Bristol and other towns in the area. Here’s all you need to know for a day trip to Cheddar Gorge.

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Cheddar Gorge is a great family day out in the South West of the UK. There’s plenty to do here for all ages, so you can easily spend the majority of a day here. The highlight for me were the caves, and also the views from the top of Jacob’s Ladder on the Cliff Top Walk. But there’s more here as well. The cute village is lovely to walk around, and there are places you can see real Cheddar cheese being made, as well as taste some. Get ready to plan your day with all you need to know for a day trip to Cheddar Gorge. And make sure you get this great guide to help plan your trip as well (affiliate).

Where can I park at Cheddar Gorge?

There isn’t a single huge car park at Cheddar Gorge, but there is still plenty of parking available so you should be able to find a parking space. There are some spaces near the bottom of the village, but if you continue uphill there are plenty more. Some spaces are along the side of the road, and others in small car parks. The village and road cuts through the centre of the Gorge, so the views are amazing as you drive along looking for a space. It costs £5 to park here for the whole day.

Gough’s Cave

I’d recommend starting your day at Gough’s Cave. You can buy tickets for the whole Cheddar Gorge and caves from the entrance to Gough’s Cave. Check out the latest prices and opening times here.

You can walk through the cave at your own pace. Audio guides are included in the price, so you can listen to information about the cave as you walk around.

A highlight for me was seeing the skeleton of ‘Cheddar Man’. Dating back around 10,000 years old, this is the oldest skeleton found in Britain. It was fascinating to think of what his life might have been like, thousands of years ago.

The cave also had some really impressive rock formations and huge open chambers. Photos just didn’t capture the immense size of some of the spaces! I spent about 30 minutes in the cave, it was really fascinating.

Museum of Prehistory

My next tip for all you need to know for a day trip to Cheddar Gorge is to visit the Museum of Prehistory next. I found it a really interesting museum. It’s relatively small, which I quite liked – I felt like I didn’t get overwhelmed with too much information and I was still finding it interesting by the end. The museum gives more information about the ‘Cheddar Man’ skeleton found in Gough’s Cave. It also gives more insights into what life would have been like thousands of years ago. It was amazing to think about how humans had once lived, and how much has changed now.

Watch Cheddar Cheese being made

It was getting close to lunchtime on my visit, so I decided to take a break from the Gorge and Caves and explore the other thing that Cheddar is famous for: the cheese! This is the only place that ‘real’ cheddar cheese is made, with some being aged in the caves here. There’s a Cheddar Cheese Visitor Centre, where you can watch cheddar cheese being made and learn all about the cheese-making process.

The shop that’s next to the visitor centre also offers free cheese-tasting, so you can try lots of different types of cheddar cheese. One of my favourites was the vintage cheddar, which is aged for nearly 2 years, giving it’s strong, distinctive flavour.

Explore the village and eat real Cheddar Cheese for lunch

The village of Cheddar is really pretty, and it’s worth taking some time to explore. There are lots of cafes and tea rooms, so you’ll have plenty of choice for lunch. You can also visit one of the Cheddar Cheese shops and buy some cheese for your lunch. There’s definitely no shortage of cheese in this village!

Cox’s Cave

After lunch, I’d recommend heading back to the Gorge and Caves attractions. I visited Cox’s Cave next. This one is quite different to Gough’s Cave. It’s a multimedia experience, where you can watch projections in various chambers of the cave. Some of the passageways are quite dark and narrow. But it’s a cool experience, and definitely a change from the previous cave. It really brings the history of the people who used to live in these caves to life.

Jacob’s Ladder and the Cliff Top Walk

My final tip for all you need to know for a day trip to Cheddar Gorge is to finish your day with a trip up Jacob’s Ladder. There are 274 steps so it’s quite a climb, but there are plenty of rest stops if you need.

At the top, head up to Lookout Tower for some beautiful views across the Mendip Hills and the Gorge. The tower was a bit scary, but definitely worth it for the views if you’re ok with heights!

There’s a 3 mile long Cliff Top Walk that starts from the top of Jacob’s Ladder as well. Even if you don’t have time to do the full walk, I’d recommend starting the walk. There are more beautiful views, and it only takes about 10-15 minutes to get to an amazing view over the whole Gorge. It’s a beautiful place to end your day in Cheddar Gorge.

Hope you enjoyed my tips for all you need to know for a day trip to Cheddar Gorge! Make sure you check out this great guide to help plan your trip as well (affiliate). There are some other lovely places in the area to continue your trip. Head to the beaches at nearby Weston-Super-Mare and Brean Beach, or head into the nearby city of Bristol. If you’re looking for more beautiful scenery, check out my ideas for walks in Wiltshire, North Devon and Dorset.

Looking for a book to take on your trip to Cheddar Gorge? I was reading Midnight’s Children on my visit (affiliate) and would definitely recommend it!