Experience the great outdoors

Outdoor Pursuits

Climbing in Somerset - The limestone cliffs, crags and quarries of Somerset make for excellent climbing if you are a beginner or if you have many years of experience under your belt. The Mendip Hills have some of the best limestone climbing sites anywhere in the country. They are the base for the largest outdoor activity provider in the South West which makes full use of the fantastic natural resources to offer climbing, caving and abseiling.
Climbing is allowed all year round at Cheddar, Britain’s biggest gorge, where the views are simply breathtaking. Instruction is available on routes that range from the simple to the quite difficult.  
If it is sea views you are after, then Brean Down has a charm of its own and a number of sport climbs. For experienced climbers, there are a number of routes along the coastal cliffs of Exmoor.

Caving in Somerset - As recently as 2012 a new cave, thought to be the largest ever found in the Mendip Hills, was discovered in Cheddar which is clearly still giving up its underground secrets. Gough’s Cave is where the 9000 year-old complete skeleton, now in the Natural History Museum, was unearthed. Gough’s Cave along with Cox’s Cave, which was discovered in 1837, are open throughout the year and give a sumptuous display of stalagmites and stalactites.
The River Axe flows through the series of limestone caverns at Wookey Hole near Wells creating a spectacular other worldly experience for visitors. Tools from the Palaeolithic period suggest the caves have been used by people for around 45,000 years. The show cave consists of a gallery connecting three large chambers, including one with the famous Witch of Wookey. The river flows through two of the chambers before emerging on the hillside.
 
Canoeing & sailing  in Somerset - As a county with 40 miles of coast, 95 water courses, more than a dozen reservoirs and numerous lakes, Somerset is ideal for messing about in boats. There are a number of sailing schools and clubs. One of the largest locations for water sports, including windsurfing and rowing, is Wimbleball Lake near Dulverton on Exmoor. The Outdoor + Active Centre there is open for tuition and visitors can launch their own craft or hire from the centre.  For those with limited mobility, a solar-powered electric all-terrain mobility scooter known as a Tramper is available for hire and is designed specifically to cover rough ground, mud and grass safely.
The 14 mile Bridgwater and Taunton Canal is enjoyed by canoeists as are the many picturesque rivers such as the river Tone or river Brue. For those who like a bit of speed, Middlemoor Water Park set in the Somerset levels offers water ski, wakeboard, jet ski and karting facilities.

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Cheddar Gorge & Caves


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