Cheddar Gorge and Wells

137 metres of oolitic limestone frame the B3135 as Cheddar Gorge slices into the Mendips—carved by Ice Age meltwater and still raw at the bends. Beneath, Gough’s Cave strings half‑million‑year formations and the remains of “Cheddar Man” (c. 7150 BC). Fourteen kilometres north, Wells stages England’s first Gothic cathedral (begun c.1175), its scissor arches bracing the crossing and a medieval clock with jousting knights. Between them: Mendip Hills AONB pastures, cave‑matured cheesemakers, and Jacob’s Ladder’s 274 steps to the lookout.

Your day starts at your Bristol hotel, with a Mercedes at the door and a driver who handles timings, parking and prebooked tickets while you sightsee. Roll to Cheddar in about 50 minutes for lookout stops and cave time, taste cave‑aged cheddar, then hop across to Wells in 25 minutes for the Chapter House, Vicars’ Close and—on Wednesdays or Saturdays—the market. With a private chauffeur, the route flexes to weather, crowd patterns and what you feel like doing next.