My first photo walk over the Mendip Hills in Somerset south west England was to be around Cheddar Gorge.
Cheddar Gorge Walking Map
Was using Ordnance Survey walking guide for Somerset and the Mendip hills. Following this, parked up in Cheddar not far from the start of the walk around Cheddar Gorge.
With OS maps online installed on my phone it was easy to stay on course around the Mendip Hills. If just wanting to go straight up to the best views then head to Jacobs Ladder and follow the path up. But I wanted to take in and scout the Mendip hills and needed the exercise too.
Mendip Hills Ascent
Followed the footpaths up onto the Mendips Plateau with some fine views across the Somerset levels and with Glastonbury Tor in the distance.
Glastonbury Tor was on my to do list while in Somerset. It was a lovely day for mid October. The hillside was catching some nice morning light.
Cheddar Gorge Dramatic Views
Followed the footpaths around the cliffs, good views from this side but nothing dramatic. Its not until you reach the southern side that the best views open up.
Was starting from the top and working my way down along the gorge edge. The limestone rocks made good foreground interest with Cheddar reservoir in the background.
Was using an aperture of F16 to get large depth of field, tripod and a polariser. Looked better on the small screen of the camera with some polarisation but wished I had also taken some without the polariser, sometimes the colours look too saturated and a little off.
Not sure these landscape photos do justice to the amazing and dramatic views from the top of Cheddar Gorge on the Mendip hills in Somerset. These surely are some of the best and most breath-taking I have experienced not just in England but the world ( so far ).
Best View
The best view was further down and this is the classic landscape capture you see online and in brochures.
Checking where the sun would set using Photopills on my phone, I knew now needed to return to this location for a sunset. Some low golden light capturing those cliffs could be awesome.
No Return
Headed back down to Cheddar for a pint. Cheddar has a lot of tourist infrastructure largely due to the attraction of the gorge and its dramatic views but also its cheese. Rude of me not to purchase some cheddar cheese in the many shops, but did not bring a fridge with me on a road trip. That evening it was thick cloud to the west so change of plan. To make that climb a second time the odds needed to be in my favour for a return during sunset.