Cheddar Gorge & Caves Car Park

The car park itself is just tarmac and painted lines, but what matters is what you're about to walk into. Cheddar Gorge is the real draw - a proper dramatic limestone ravine that cuts through the Somerset landscape like something carved by giants. You'll pay to park, then you're essentially free to explore the gorge floor and the clifftop trails that run either side.

What you actually get is spectacular. The cliffs tower 450 feet above you, and on a clear day you can walk the rim paths for views that stretch across Somerset towards the Quantock Hills. The gorge bottom is cooler, damper, and quieter - you'll see why caves formed here. Most people tack on a visit to the show caves (Gough's or Cox's) which cost extra and need advance booking, but the outdoor bits don't. Allow two to three hours minimum if you're doing the full rim walk.

Families with younger kids might find the clifftop paths a bit exposed for comfort, but older children and regular walkers will find it brilliant. There's genuine scrambling to be done in places. Summer weekends get heaving with tourists and ice cream vans, so go early or try a weekday.

If you're based at one of the nearby campsites - Cheddar Bridge is practically on your doorstep at half a mile away - this is an obvious morning or afternoon slot. It fills the gap between a full day activity and a quick walk nicely. Proper worth the detour if you're staying anywhere in North Somerset.