Visiting Cheddar Gorge today was a last minute addition to the days itinerary, so I didn't arrive at the Gorge until mid afternoon. I wasted no time and not being one to always adhere to paths, scrambled up through the rock strewn trees which still cling to some of the lower parts of the gorge. I climbed up through the humid stands until I emerged atop the gorge looking down into its meandering rocky chasm. Wow. I've been here many times, and every time I feel the same...wow. I made my way along the lip of the gorge, periodically braving a snatched glimpse over its vertical faces. I don't mind admitting heights are not easy for me and at times I was gripped by terror. But the views, not only of the gorge, but of the surrounding Mendip Hills and Levels beyond were stunning. I continued to follow the gorge until just before Jacobs Ladder, then turned and headed out along the Mendips. The Sun was now beginning to slowly sink and mists started forming over the Levels, adding an air of mystery to the landscape as it hung over the hills (which rise from the Levels here and there) like a veil. This was new to me, I'd only walked about the gorge on past rambles. From what I saw today, there's plenty of exploring to be done in them there hills. By the time I got back down into the gorge there was less than an hour to sunset and the gorge was eerily quiet. The sort of quiet you really notice. What a lovely walk, and all the better for its spontaneity.
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