20 Attractions to Explore Near West Mendip Way

Cheddar Reservoir is an artificial reservoir in Somerset, England, operated by Bristol Water. It has a capacity of 135 million gallons. The reservoir is supplied with water taken from the Cheddar Yeo river in Cheddar Gorge. It is roughly circular in shape, and surrounded by large earth banks which are grazed by sheep.

Cheddar Gorge, which is located on the edge of the village, is the largest gorge in the United Kingdom.[44] The gorge is the site of the Cheddar Caves, where Cheddar Man was found in 1903. This world-famous site is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which reveals many hidden secrets including fascinating stories of our prehistoric ancestors.

Gough's Cave is located in Cheddar Gorge on the Mendip Hills, in Cheddar, Somerset, England. The cave is 115 m deep and is 3.405 km long, and contains a variety of large chambers and rock formations. It contains the Cheddar Yeo, the largest underground river system in Britain. Palaeolithic caves and rock shelters provide some of the earliest evidence of human activity in the period from about 400,000 to 10,000 years ago.

Black Down is the highest summit in the Mendip Hills of north Somerset, and lies at the centre of the largest area of open, unfenced moorland in the county. The summit is marked by several ancient burial mounds, or burrows, and it may be reached by paths from various directions, the shortest route just 0.7 miles. The shortest route of ascent goes from the Burrington Combe car park and is approximately 1 km long.

A heavily wooded gorge on the western edge of the Mendip Hills, Ebbor nature reserve offers excellent walks through ash woods and a superb view out over the Somerset Levels. The 41 ha reserve is cleft by two steep-sided valleys. The site was occupied by humans in the Neolithic Era and their tools and flint arrow heads have been discovered, along with pottery from the Bronze Age. There are also fossils of small mammals from the Late Devensian.

Wookey Hole is the UK’s largest show caves system, home to the infamous Witch of Wookey Hole and our new Chamber 20 with rare rock formations. With these world famous caves PLUS over 20 magnificent attractions, Wookey Hole is a great day out for all the family. The caves have been used by humans for around 45,000 years, demonstrated by the discovery of tools from the Palaeolithic period, along with fossilised animal remains.

Chew Valley Lake often attracts rare birds, including osprey, the scarcer grebes, and an American wader or duck appears most years. Itt is renowned for its scenic beauty and top-quality fly fishing. It often attracts rare birds, including osprey, the scarcer grebes, and an American wader or duck appears most years.

Animal Farm Adventure Park is set on 23 acres of farm land in the beautiful Somerset countryside. With views across the levels to the Mendips and Brent Knoll. With over 250 animals onsite, including George the Raccoon, llamas, alpacas, goats, sheep, rabbits, degus, chipmunks, a vast collection of reptiles & bugs, and so more.

Brean has a beautiful 3 Mile beach with exciting sand dunes to explore, it is possible to walk along the beach and then climb up Brean Down for a lovely view of the countryside and over the water. It boasts one of the longest stretches of sand in Europe and at low tide a vast expanse of mud flats are exposed.

Brean Leisure Park is an amusement park in the coastal resort of Brean, near Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, England. The park covers an area of 200 acres. With Brean Splash Waterpark & Gym , Brean Golf Club , Brean Play , The Tavern and Bucket & spade and Brean Theme Park, entertainment venues and a wide variety of eateries and restaurants you and the family will be spoilt for choice.

Burnham & Berrow Golf Club is a 27-hole members golf club in Somerset, England which has hosted many of the leading amateur golf tournaments in Britain, including the Brabazon Trophy and English Amateur. The Channel Course is an 18-hole course with nine greens. Each hole has 2 separate tee positions, one of which is used on each loop of nine. The course is a 5,819-yard par-70 off the men's white tees and a 5,038-yard par-70 of the women's tees.

Vicars’ Close, believed to be the only complete medieval street left in England. This significant landmark was designed to provide communal accommodation for the Vicars Choral, who sang daily worship within the Cathedral. This centuries-old tradition continues today and is a unique and much valued part of life at Wells Cathedral.

The Burnham-on-Sea Low Lighthouse was constructed in 1832 by Joseph Nelson to guide ships through the Bristol Channel. It is a Grade II listed building and stands on the foreshore. Now, the lighthouse does more than guide ships through the channel’s wayward waters. It’s also a beacon for beach walkers, too.

Cadbury Camp is an Iron Age hill fort in Somerset, England, near the village of Tickenham. It is a scheduled monument. Although primarily known as a fort during the Iron Age it is likely, from artefacts, including a bronze spear or axe head, discovered at the site, that it was first used in the Bronze Age and still occupied through the Roman era into the Anglo-Saxon period.

The Wells Museum was founded by Herbert Balch in 1893. He was a naturalist, caver and geologist who pioneered many of the techniques used by modern cavers. The exhibits include items of local history and archaeological finds. It has permanent and temporary exhibitions, along with a series of events throughout the year

Wells Cathedral is set in the medieval heart of England's smallest city and is the earliest English Cathedral to be built in the Gothic style. The cathedral dboasts a magnificent west front covered in medieval sculptures of saints and kings. It has been called "unquestionably one of the most beautiful" and "most poetic" of English cathedrals.

Brean Down is one of the landmarks of the Somerset coastline – jutting out into the Bristol Channel and providing a download setting between Burnham-On-Sea to the south and Weston-super-Mare to the north. Made of Carboniferous Limestone, it is a continuation of the Mendip Hills. Two further continuations are the small islands of Steep Holm and Flat Holm. The cliffs on the northern and southern flanks of Brean Down have large quantities of fossils laid down in the marine deposits about 320–350 mi

The Bishop's Palace & Gardens in Wells, Somerset has been home to the Bishops of Bath and Wells for over 800 years. This stunning medieval palace is open for all to enjoy. Surrounded by a breathtaking moat, cross the flagstone drawbridge, to experience a true hidden gem in the heart of the City of Wells. The palace was originally surrounded by a medieval deer park. When the walls were built, streams were diverted to form the moat as a reservoir.

A beautiful 42 acres of Leisure and Wildlife Park offers visitors a chance to relax away from the bustle of Burnham’s shopping centre and beach. Apex was once an area of clay digging where several pits were excavated and when these were later flooded, they became lakes which are now home to many types of wildlife. There are various facilities including an outdoor gym, a lake and birdlife.

Berrow beach was awarded the Blue flag rural beach award in 2005. The beach is home to the shipwreck of the Norwegian barque Nornen, which ran aground on 3 March 1897. Berrow Beach is rural in nature with sand dunes at the top of the beach. The beach at Berrow stretches for miles which is ideal for walking.