Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tunnels lay undiscovered until workmen of George Cox found them in 1837. The
most spectacular,
Gough's Cave,
is named after Cox's nephew (who discovered it in
1890), and has walls that shimmer with colors reflected from iron oxide, copper
carbonate, and lead deposits in the limestone. The outstanding feature is the calcite
waterfall in the chamber that Gough christened King Solomon's Temple. Adjacent
Cox's Cave
is also famed for its brilliant colors. You can also climb Jacob's Ladder for
Gorge-top walks, and the Lookout Tower for views beyond the 137-m (450-ft.) cliffs
of the Gorge and across Somerset. You can also book an “Adventure Caving” expedi-
tion for £18 adults (£15 children 12-17), which includes use of overalls, helmets, and
lamps. Other attractions (all on the same ticket) include the
Crystal Quest,
an
underground “fantasy adventure walk,” and a Museum of Prehistory that contains the
9,000-year-old skeleton of “Cheddar Man.”
Cheddar.
&
01934/742343.
www.cheddarcaves.co.uk. Admission £17 adults, £11 children 5-15, £45
family ticket, free for children 4 and under. July-Aug daily 10am-5:30pm; Sept-June daily 10:30am-
5pm. Closed Dec 24-25. From the A38 or M5, cut onto the A371 to Cheddar.
Wookey Hole
HISTORIC SITE Legend has it that in the first chamber of
these slightly cheesy but fun caves, the Witch of Wookey was turned to stone by a
Saxon abbot—along with her cat. The rest of the labyrinthine complex consists of a
series of chambers hewn by groundwater and the subterranean River Axe over millen-
nia into creepy caverns and deep, crystal-clear lakes. Parts of the complex were prob-
ably inhabited by prehistoric people at least 60,000 years ago, and in 1935 Wookey
was the site of the world's first ever cave dive. The caves are still used to age Cheddar
cheese in the traditional way.
Paper has been made here since the 17th century. The preserved
mill
hosts regu-
lar demonstrations of the ancient art as well as hands-on vats, where visitors can try
making a sheet of paper; there's also an Edwardian Penny Arcade, where you can
exchange new pennies for old ones to play the original machines, and a mirror maze.
Wookey Hole, Wells.
&
01749/672243.
www.wookey.co.uk. Tours (allow 2 hr.) £16 adults; £11 seniors,
students, and children 3-14; £45 family ticket. Apr-Oct daily 10am-5pm; Nov-Mar daily 10am-4pm.
Closed Dec 25-26 and weekdays in Dec and Jan. Follow the signs from the center of Wells for 2 miles.
Bus: 172 from Wells.
8
GLASTONBURY & SOUTH
SOMERSET
136 miles SW of London; 26 miles S of Bristol; 6 miles SW of Wells
Mystical
Glastonbury
—in the heart of the flattish terrain between the Mendip and
the Quantock hills known as the Somerset Levels—may be one of the oldest inhab-
ited sites in Britain. Excavations have revealed Iron Age lakeside villages on its
periphery. It's an ancient Christian center too: Joseph of Arimathea, a biblical (and
perhaps mythical) figure, is said to have journeyed to what was then the “Isle of Ava-
lon” with the Holy Grail in his possession. According to one tradition, he buried the
chalice at the foot of
Glastonbury Tor
(a conical hill), and a stream of blood burst
forth. Scale the hill today for stunning views across the Levels.
Later in history, Arthurian myth held sway, and Glastonbury now harbors a subcul-
ture of mystics and hippies. It is England's New Age center, where Christian spiritu-
ality blends with druidic beliefs. It's also a good jumping-off point for Elizabethan
Montacute House,
in rural south Somerset.
