Cheddar Gorge is one of those places that feels like it shouldn’t work- dramatic cliffs, goats, chip shops, bikers, cheese, cider & paragliders all nestled within the county of Somerset but somehow, it all comes together perfectly.
We started our day from Holly’s house in Wiltshire with our now 52-hour-long playlist on full blast. Naturally, we opened with Pocket Full of Sunshine- our essential road trip anthem. (Someone was notably off-key, but let's not name names. Tamsyn, your secret is safe). Miraculously, we avoided any major wrong turns, even with a few tractors trying their best to test our patience. By the time we rolled into the gorge, the cliffs were towering, the sun was out (ish), and our stomachs were making their opinions known. Lunch was, as always, a priority. We found a bench and were happily working through our chips (yes, basic — we stand by it), when a paraglider suddenly came sailing down alarmingly close, shouting “I’m coming for you girls!” Definitely not what we ordered with our chips but on brand for us.
Naturally, we couldn’t go all the way to Cheddar Gorge without trying some of it's famous cheese and cider. Tamsyn, bless her, committed hard- went straight for a 1.5 litre jug of local cider. Bold move. Sadly, it turned out she doesn’t actually like cider. So, important lesson from us to you: maybe try a sip before going full pint-and-a-half.
And now, a slightly controversial opinion: Tamsyn believes Christmas should start the minute Halloween ends. So when we stumbled across a tiny Christmas shop in the village, despite it still being November- it was basically a sign from the universe. We obviously went in. There were baubles and garlands and, most importantly, a tiny pinecone hedgehog that almost came home with us. I say “almost” as if Holly didn’t go home with every hedgehog we came across, we’d end up with a whole hedgehog army.
That said, even pinecone hedgehogs can’t quite beat the wild goats just vibing on the cliffs. You don’t really expect them, and then suddenly they’re just there, living their best lives. Highly recommend taking the walk up the gorge- not just for the views (which are unreal), but for the casual goat encounters.
The place had a real mix of energy. Leather-clad bikers parked up next to families with prams, tourists trying to find the perfect photo angle, locals buying their groceries. It’s chaotic but somehow kind of peaceful too. You can find a quiet spot, breathe in the fresh gorge air, and still feel like something unexpected might drop out of the sky- literally.
Cheddar Gorge might not be the most obvious introvert getaway, but it’s weirdly perfect. There's space to wander without talking to anyone, snacks galore, surprise goats, and if you’re lucky, pinecone hedgehogs!
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