Ilkeston Cam on Holiday
Part 06 - Cheddar Gorge
w/e 30 August 2026
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Nikon D3300 camera.
After our morning break in the 'Cafe Gorge' and a
look at some of the shops I decided to explore a little further.
I crossed Cliff Road, the road that runs through the Gorge, to
the corner of a small pond variously known as Cheddar Yeo, Cheddar
Rising or Cox's Mill Pond. Cheddar Yeo is a small underground
river that flows through the limestone of the Mendip Hills and
rises near here into the Gorge. A dam a little further downstream
has created the pond and water from the river was used to power
mills in the past, hence the name Cox's Mill Pond.
|
The water is also overlooked by Finch Cottage which stands at
the end of Cufic Lane at the start of a clifftop circuit above
the Gorge (link to Cheddar Gorge trail on the National Trust
website). A footpath also leads from here alongside the
water and I decided to follow it a little way.
|
I followed the path as far as the dam and then crossed
a car park back to Cliff Road, also known as The Cliffs.
|
The building across from the car park is the ticket office for
caves below the Gorge and Jacob's Ladder, a flight of 274 steps
to the top of the Gorge.
|
As I returned up Cliff Road with the pond behind the high wall
on the left, I passed the entrance to another of Cheddar's tourist
attractions, Cox's Cave. This is named after George Cox, the
former mill owner who also shares his name with the pond.
|
As Cliff Road steadily rises, properties on Cufic Lane on the
other side of the pond appear above the wall.
|
One such property that I had walked past a little earlier on
the footpath at the side of the pond, is called Rockface. This
is another cafe and gift shop in the village and prides itself
on its 'excellent coffee and award winning cakes'. And if you
want to work off those extra calories, you can also hire an electric
bike to explore the Gorge.
|
But as I returned to the starting point of my circuit of the
pond, I passed more gift shops, cafes and not forgetting The
Original Cheddar Cheese Company shop which is approximately in
the middle of this line of shops.
|
I carried on passing the 'Cafe Gorge' again for a look at the
Museum of Prehistory.
|
Then it was time to set off
again back down Cliff Road, but this time in the car, for our
next destination and lunch!
Back to Part 05
- Forward to Part 07
|
