- Beautiful Landscape
- Unique Places to Visit
- Activities for Everyone
Greentraveller Guide to the Mendip Hills AONB
New Visitor Guide (PDF Download 1.8MB) available now to download if you wish or contact us and we’ll be happy to post one to you. Tel: 01761 462338 or email mendiphills@somerset.gov.uk.
Local Food
Local Accommodation
Tourist Information
What walks are there in the area?
- 6 Downloadable Trails
- PDFs ready for you to print
- Blagdon and Burrington Ham (490kb)
- Bleadon Hill and Loxton (370kb)
- Cheddar Gorge (220kb)
- Chew Valley and The Harptrees (610kb)
- Ebbor Gorge and Wookey Hole(330kb)
- Priddy and Deer Leap (510kb)
PLUS
The Mendip Hills - 8 Wild Walks - Go to our Publications page for a description of the book and how to obtain a copy.
Relevant OS Explorer Maps - 141 and 153
AND
The Butcombe Trail – The 45-mile (72 km) long Mendip Pub Trail, connects six pubs owned by Butcombe Brewery. The trail runs from Hinton Blewett through Priddy, Axbridge, Bleadon, Rowberrow, and Compton Martin – The Butcombe Trail
The Mendip Way - an 80 kilometre (50 mile) long-distance footpath across the Mendip Hills from Weston super Mare to Frome – The Long Distance Walkers Association
Limestone Link - a route of 36 Miles joining the limestone of the Cotswolds to the Mendip Hills – The Long Distance Walkers Association
Monarch’s Way a 615 mile (990km) long-distance footpath passing through the Mendip Hills – Ramblers
Geology and Landscape - Walkers guides and maps for Western Mendip and Eastern Mendip showing the geology and landscape of the area are available from the British Geoloical Society book shop via Foundations of Mendip web site. Scroll down the page and click on BGS online shop link then use the search term “Mendip” for full details and to order.
Try tourist information centres for other walks publications.
West Country Way part of the National Cycle Network via Sustrans
1 South West The 1 South West web site project is about ensuring you have great off-road cycling adventures in some of Britain’s most beautiful countryside including the Mendip Hills.
Places to Visit
Why not have a look at our gallery for a taste of what you can expect to see when you visit.
Axbridge and Shute Shelve Hill Open grassland site offering views over the Somerset Levels from Axbridge lay-by car park a starting point for the Strawberry Line Trail. Historic Axbridge with King John’s Hunting Lodge.
Black Rock Reserve, Longwood and Velvet Bottom Somerset Wildlife Trust
Blackmoor Reserve Owned and managed by Somerset County Council.
An old lead mining area steeped in history, rough grassland, heath, wetland and woodland. Industrial archaeology visible. Netherwood a small woodland on the reserve has an easy going trail.
Burrington Ham/Black Down/Rowberrow Forest. Largest area of open land in the AONB. Black Down trig point is the highest point on Mendip offering terrific views across to Wales. Significant wildlife and archaeology. Excellent for walking ,cycling and horse riding.
Charterhouse Unique historic lead mining landscape dating from the Roman period. Excellent for walks.
Cheddar Gorge North side – National Trust
Chew Valley Lake Lake side area with visitor centre, tearoom, nature trail, toilets.
Crook Peak - National Trust. Distinctive peak. Open grassland site with areas of gorse and scrub. West Mendip Way passes over the peak (OS Explorer Maps 141 and 153). Car park with picnic tables on Webbington Road.
Deer Leap Open access site managed by Somerset County Council with fantastic views over the Somerset Levels. Excellent for walks, picnics, flying kites. Car park with picnic tables.
Dolebury Warren and Dolebury Hill Fort - Avon Wildlife Trust site. Iron age hillfort of great interest for its grassland, limestone heath vegetation and ancient field systems.
East Harptree Woods – Forestry Commision site.Forest plantation on historic lead mining site. Car park and picnic tables. Easy going trail to Smitham Chimney, remnant of the lead mining.
Ebbor Gorge - Natural England Site. The scarp is cut by two valleys: Hope Wood valley, which has an active stream; and Ebbor Gorge, a dry limestone gorge. There are two geologically important caves on the site with deposits that include the bones of ice age mammals.
Hellenge Hill – Avon Wildlife Trust – Hellenge Hill is a Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI). The reserve was purchased with funding from Heritage Lottery Fund, Wyvern Waste and public donation.
Herriots Bridge Long lay-by on road that crosses Chew Valley Lake. Popular for viewing wild waterfowl. Bus Service 673. New Manor Farm teashop on road into Bishop Sutton.
King’s Wood Ancient woodland with ground flora. Access to Wavering Down and Crook Peak. On route of West Mendip Way (OS Explorer Maps 141 and 153), adjacent to Strawberry Line.
Priddy Green Village green at centre of ancient settlement of Priddy. Hurdle stack on the green is a symbol of the ancient wool trade and annual Priddy sheep fair.
Stockhill Forest and Priddy Mineries -Stockhill Forest - Forestry Commission wood with easy going trail. Priddy Mineries offers walks over old lead workings.