Attractions and parking

Cheddar is often used as an overnight stop by people on their way to a holiday in Cornwall and Devon, but the whole Somerset area is a great holiday destination in its own right and too often overlooked when zipping through on the M5. For most people in the UK, driving all the way down to Devon and Cornwall resorts takes two or three hours longer each way than just going to Somerset.

The “slice of Cheddar” random slide at the top of each page, gives you a flavour of some of the places, views, activities and events that can be found in and around Cheddar.

In Cheddar itself:

The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company 01934 742810.
Visit the dairy to see how Cheddar Cheese is made the traditional way, plus try and buy different varieties from the shop. The Cheese Company has been featured in recent TV programmes “Jedward’s Big Adventure” and “Rory Bremner’s Great British Views”.

Foursquare Check -in data for Cheddar Cheese Company

Plus many other smaller attractions such as:

• Cheddar Crazy Golf - a challenging 18 hole course
• See sweets being made at the Cheddar Sweet Kitchen
• The Gorge Bear Company - a huge selection of teddy bears and soft toys
• A wide variety of gift shops, coffee shops, tea rooms and streets of country cottages extending from the lower gorge down to the historic Market Cross.
• South West Karting at Winchester Farm, kart/mini-moto racing and also the venue for the enormous car boot sale every Sunday from 9am.

Find Foursquare venue information for many more local places here.

On the north side of the village:

Cheddar Gorge and Caves 01934 742343.
Gough’s Cave, Cox’s Cave, the Crystal Quest, Jacob’s Ladder, the Clifftop Walk, “Cheddar Man and the Cannibals” exhibition and the open-top bus ride through the gorge. Everything on the right (south side) as you walk up the Gorge is part of the Longleat Estate, along with Gorge car parks, the Cox’s Mill and “Cannibals” buildings. The land in the gorge on the north side is National Trust.

 

Foursquare Check -in data for Cheddar Caves

PARKING in or near Gorge/Caves Parking in Cheddar is operated either by Sedgemoor District council or by Cheddar Caves and Gorge (Longleat). The main car parks are shown on the map. The Longleat-owned ones in the lower Gorge are intended for Caves visitors and can be expensive for a short stay but the upper Gorge is not warden-controlled. Most main streets in the village are yellow-lined (double yellow in many cases), enforced by Somerset County Council wardens, with fines of £50 or more for illegal parking on yellow lines or in loading bays. Parking for pre-booked coaches is near the entrance to the caves.

View Cheddar – car parking in a larger map

PARKING in the village There is a cheaper short-stay council car park by Budgens (Church Street) and if you don’t mind a walk, some side streets away from the main centres are free of yellow lines (zoom to Streetview from the “larger map” link on the lower image). Some local properties also let out private parking spaces on the Parkatmyhouse site for advance booking, so worth checking on there. Cheddar has fewer on-street parking restrictions in the winter season 1 Oct – 19 Mar.

View Cheddar – car parking in a larger map

Parking charges:  Click here for council-owned parking charges (PDF). In-season Longleat-owned parking spaces are currently one price £5 all day. Parking charges are a regular bugbear of both visitors and residents and if you would like to make your views known, please contact the Caves & Gorge or Sedgemoor DC directly.

If you are visiting Cheddar for up to 4 hours to go shopping or walking and not intending to go to the caves, your best bet may be to use the Church Street car park. Most shops in the village will refund some of your parking fee from that car park if you shop with them. There are places to eat or get a coffee, in the village centre. If you just want to see the Gorge and not the showcaves, consider parking at Black Rock.

To the west:

The historic town of Axbridge lies a couple of miles to the west, dating back to the 1200s. The medieval market square, the timbered King John’s Hunting Lodge (pictured), and its narrow streets are worthy of a visit. Between Cheddar and Axbridge lies the two-mile-circumferenced Cheddar Reservoir which is a popular destination for watersports fans, birdwatchers, walkers and cyclists. Cyclists can also begin the Strawberry Line cycle ride in Cheddar heading north west towards the main line at Yatton.

 

Other places of interest nearby include:

Banwell Caves and Tower | Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm | Puxton Park | Court Farm Country Park | Tyntesfield House and Gardens | Ebbor Gorge | Burcott Mill | Ashton Windmill

And for more ideas around Somerset heritage trails, visit Somerset Routes (@somersetroutes).