Recommended itineraries in the UK: Cheddar Gorge in search of the living Cheddar Man
Cheddar Cheddar is a mysterious place in the UK, home to England’s largest gorge, the Cheddar Gorge, and the Cheddar Man, who is still alive from 9,000 years ago.
Recommended days: One day is sufficient for overall exploration, two days are best if rock climbing and gorge walking are required
The Cheddar Gorge is the largest gorge in England and was discovered in 1903, along with the oldest intact human remains in Britain, known as the Cheddar Man, over 9,000 years old.
A survey of Britain’s most beautiful regions showed that the English Lake District came first in the poll, followed by the Scottish Highlands, and in third place was the little-known Cheddar Gorge. The village of Cheddar Gorge is also known as England’s most beautiful countryside (for those of you who are used to England’s beauty, go back to the Gorge and see why this village is the most beautiful in England).
The first place in England to be inhabited by humans (ancient Cheddar man bones).
In 1997, a human skeleton of the earliest Englishman to date was unearthed in the Cheddar Gorge caves. Archaeologists have been able to advance the record of British habitation to 9,000 years ago. It was a man who lived in the Paleolithic period in the caves of Cheddar Gorge. And that’s not even a surprise. The more surprising thing was yet to come.
In 1999 British biologists and archaeologists carried out DNA tests on the present-day inhabitants of the Cheddar Gorge and the results showed that. The descendant of this ancient Cheddar man (skeleton), who still lives in the village of Cheddar today, is now a teacher. This is why some British people jokingly claim that this is an ethnic group older than Confucius in China. And this teacher teaches English history at Kings of Wessex Community School, just half a mile away from the cave where the Cheddar man’s remains were found. In other words, the ancient Cheddar man of 9,000 years ago is still alive and well in the world today.
The descendant of the 9,000-year-old Cheddar man who survives, he still continues his family. After being discovered, he did not like being exposed to the media and disturbing his life. The unknown teacher, who still teaches in schools. One can only expect to meet people of ancient Cheddar descent with the unlikely.
Cheddar, a mecca for hikers and rock climbers. How do you get here? How do you get around?
See the Cheddar Gorge guide at
How to get there.
1, by car from London to Cheddar Gorge in about two and a half hours. Generally, the roads are in good condition, except in the summer months of July and August, when traffic is slow entering Cheddar Gorge. There is plenty of parking once you enter the gorge and you will need to pay a fee. There are various ways to find the trail, Google Maps, so I won’t go into detail here.
2. There is no direct train service to Cheddar Gorge. You need to take a bus from Weston-Super-Mare to get there, or you can take a direct bus from Bristol or take a taxi.
3、Bus is not recommended. Staying nearby is fine. Reasons for not recommending it: Because of the need to travel through the small English countryside, especially at weekends when the number of buses is small. And need to change buses several times, very inconvenient.
Accommodation.
We recommend staying in a B&B in the English countryside, they are almost uniform in standard and very clean and comfortable. There are many online booking sites for hotels, just search for them. If you book in advance you can find a local B&B in the village of Cheddar and get a taste of the local culture.
Note to foodies ahead.
In Cheddar Village, there are two must-try items that foodies should not miss. Taste the local cheese and cedar.
There is a cheese in the world called Cheddar and Cheddar has become almost synonymous with cheese. This Cheddar cheese is produced in the Cheddar Gorge. Its speciality, which I have described in my previous article, is that it tastes, in a word, fatty but not greasy, and has an endless aftertaste. The old Cheddar cheese making workshop in the village of Cheddar is open to the public. After your visit, buy some cheese and try it to see if it tastes delicious or stinks. Those who have never eaten cheese should be prepared.
There is a wine in the world called Cider (a beer made from fermented apples). There is a European legend that says that as soon as the Cider from Cheddar in England is available, the streets of Europe will be filled with the smell of this Cider. Sida is sold in roadside shops in the Cheddar Gorge. It comes in a variety of packaging styles and is very affordable.
The local beef and lamb is also something not to be missed. The local beef and lamb tastes a bit New Zealand-esque. The meat is fatty and delicate.
Recommended attractions in the gorge.
When I first went there, I didn’t do a guide. I like the idea of wandering around aimlessly and meeting people and things that are inexplicable. Having been there many times, I found that there is a lot to see around Cheddar Gorge, if you follow your own interests. If you don’t have a lot of time, it’s best to do it well in advance.
1. Cheddar Gorge Caves
Cheddar Gorge Caves, the most famous caves in the UK. It is home to strange stalactites and stalagmites, the largest underground cave in the UK and the largest underground river. The discovery of ancient Cheddar bones in this cave in 1997 has pushed the history of the inhabited British Isles back 9,000 years. This is said to be the most primitive British people to have inhabited the island of Great Britain. And what is even more amazing is that the descendants of this 9,000 year old Cheddar man still live in the town. After a visit to the caves, step into the town and encounter the descendants of the ancient British 9,000 years ago.
2. Cheddar Town
The old town of Cheddar is mainly concentrated in the Cheddar Gorge generation, stopping when you feel like you are about to walk out of the gorge. There is a Cheddar Lake not far away and the lake is kind of nice, the scenery is different from the gorge but it is good to know. It is a water sports playground, a recreational area for sailing enthusiasts, and not highly recommended without boating and rafting. As a tourist there are optional trade-offs. For excursions within the town, ask for a map of local hiking routes at the tourist attraction information desk, there are many hiking routes around the town to choose from.
3. Visit the Cheddar Cheese Factory
A guided tour of the Cheddar cheese making process. Be prepared to walk in with a stinky smell, much like that of stinky tofu. But the process is world-famous and the cheese here is popular in Europe, so you should see it since you are here.
4. Cheddar Man Exhibition
This small exhibition focuses on the 9,000 year old Cheddar Man that was unearthed and the process of discovery and research to verify it. The ancient Cheddar remains found in the Cheddar caves are also on display here.
5. Cheddar Watchtower
On the hill above Cheddar Gorge is a watchtower with a view of the entire Cheddar Gorge. There is nothing special about this tower, as it offers a distant view of the Cheddar Gorge. But it is a must-see and the joy is in the climbing. If you are afraid to rock climb and attempt the steep slopes of Cheddar Gorge, this is a place you won’t be disappointed in on your trip. You can have the fun of climbing again and enjoy the constant surprises of discovery along the way.
6, Cheddar climbing and steep climbing
As soon as you enter the Cheddar Gorge you will notice the spiders slowly climbing up the crags of the Cheddar Gorge. This is a haven for British climbers and every year climbers from all over the world take on the Cheddar Gorge and experience the joys of crag climbing.
Recommendations.
(1) For experienced climbers, check with your local climbing club to find out what the crag is like before attempting it.
(2) For those in good physical condition, it is possible to freehand climb the steep 60 – 70 degree slope (I have done this and am in good physical condition). There are two climbing routes about opposite the car park in the middle of Cheddar Gorge. There are no words to describe the thrill of the climb. A reminder: you must do this route according to your ability, it requires a certain amount of technical and physical strength, so it is good to distribute your energy well during the climb (personal experience).
(3) For beginners, those who want to challenge and try. It is possible to participate in climbing activities in the Cheddar Gorge with the protection of safety officers and instructors. There will be very safe protection. Both do the attempt to climb the cliffs and are safe.
My own Cheddar Gorge bull (adventure) climbing experience.
The slopes within the gorge that I climbed were between about 70 – 80 degrees, with only a small part of the cliff at about 90 degrees. Common sense dictates that climbing such cliffs requires not only courage but also tools. As it was a spur of the moment decision, this was a completely unarmed climb without any equipment.
I didn’t think I was taking any chances, I was convinced that unarmed climbing was something I was born to do.
However, I didn’t think I was really getting old.
Looking down at the height of Cheddar Gorge, I looked at it with a contemptuous eye. My wife and I bragged that the slow climbers up and down were really not worth mentioning. Ha!
Of course, misjudging my own abilities. In hindsight, I reflect that you have to physically do everything to be safe first. It’s been about almost twenty years since I’ve climbed such a steep hill. I had climbed a 90 degree cliff with my bare hands, so I had no problem climbing the steep, but manageable slope I had chosen.
After an hour and a half or so of charging, I paused about a third of the way up the slope. I felt a sudden loss of strength and impetus, dizziness and a little weakness in my arms and legs. The body was slowly sliding down. I kept telling myself that I had to be steady, slowly choosing a suitable rock to hold on to, giving myself time to open my mouth and catch my breath. Gradually, I felt better and looked back down. Little did I know that this would be another big mistake. The moment I turned back, I was instantly dizzy. I looked down the hill at the tiny figures, my hands went weak again and my eyes went black. The inner thoughts tell me to hold on, to hold on. To let go would be to break my bones! My wife at the bottom of the hill had no idea what was happening to me here, she was still waving excitedly at me.
Honey, I’m dizzy —- I’m dizzy!
I don’t know how long it took, I felt like centuries had passed, in reality it was probably about ten minutes. My physical strength recovered somewhat and I slowly adjusted to the feeling of fear that the height brought me.
I was then faced with two choices: one, descend immediately. Two, continue climbing upwards. Making what I thought was the right choice for my life, up. Twisting and turning again, I searched for any exposed rocks I could grab on the outside of the slope, climbed with my hands and feet, slowed my progress and slowly made my way up to the top.
Anyone who tries to defy nature is just out of their depth. In the face of the mountain, I can only say that I have overcome myself.
