Mendips half day walk
This walk crosses the Mendip Pericline and allows you to walk from Burrington Combe over the crest of Black Down hill and down via the lead mines at Charterhouse along Velvet Bottom. Then we cross over the Gorge and along the South side walk to the top if people want and then back to the van. The aim of the walk is to study the large fold which forms the Mendip Hills and look at the exploitation of the minerals found in this area by people since the Romans.The industrial past has left many distinctive scars and features but Humans have lived in this region and left their remains for the last 10,000 years.
Cost : £10 per person if you meet us at the Goatchurch Cavern Car Park by the toilets.
Cost : £40 per person for people who want transporting to the start point from the Taunton or N Somerset area.
We can meet up to 12 people at Burrington Combe but can only transport back a maximum of 6 from Cheddar, to pick up cars.
Walk Difficulty
Moderate
Elapsed Time
3 – 4hrs
Distance
6.8 miles
Additional info
There are some steep sections to the walk, it is mainly along paths but some are rutted
Where are we walking?
We will meet at Burrington Combe in Goatchurch Cavern car Park by the Toilets. Then we will look at the Geology along the road and up over Black Down, passing the entry points to the extensive cave system which runs beneath the Mendips. The walk then takes us over the trig point and down to Charterhouse, looking at the Roman remains and the mine workings. The walk then follows the beautiful, but scarred, dry vally called Velvet Bottom. Then continues up the South side of the Gorge which is steep initially, and we will find a safe veiwpoint and return back down to the Van or walk on to the Riverside Inn. If the group does not want to walk the steep section up to the Pinnacles we can walk along the gorge via the road.
