The Mendips Formation and exploitation
This is a 2-site day looking at 2 parts of the Mendips to build a picture of this region. The walks are linked by a short drive to make a huge Circular walk/trip covering many sites without the boring bits in the middle.
Start at Burrington Combe car park with an Introduction to the rocks with a short walk along a road section looking at the caves. Visit to the Lead mines and walk to Cheddar Gorge along Velvet bottom and then if wanted a steep walk to overlook the gorge and discuss its formation.
Picnic Lunch
Drive to Vallis Vale and walk along the footpath to Mells visiting the famous De La Beche site. Tea in Mells and return to pick up point. Finish around 4.30.
Price £70 per person or £320 for a group
Pick and drop off in Taunton or Burrington Combe
Walk Difficulty
Leisurely
Elapsed Time
Walk one : 1 hr 30 mins
Walk two : 2 hrs
Distance
Walk one : 2 miles
Walk two: 3 miles
Additional info
These are 2 Leisurely walks unless you want to walk along the top of Cheddar gorge which is very steep.
Where are we walking?
Charterhouse – Cheddar Gorge
We walk from the Roman fort and the Lead mines along Velvet Bottom, a mining scarred dry valley to the top of Cheddar Gorge. We can walk up the side of Cheddar Gorge itself but this is a steep walk and walk down at the village end is rough and sometimes slippery. (This is optional and weather dependant).
Vallis Vale – Mells
This is a gentle walk along the Mells river looking at the famous De La Beche unconformity and the impact of quarrying and Iron Smelting. Ending at Mells for tea.
