Lion rock at Cheddar
After the fossil and mineral hunting of the day before, we headed underground this weekend. We spend so much time above ground in Cheddar, that it was about time we went down into the caves.
We wanted the children to see how the passage of time has shaped our surroundings. The surroundings that are one of our favourite places to walk.
It takes time, lots of time, to make something so beautiful and breathtaking as these caves. Just like fossils and special stones.
We saw signs of the river that once ran through these caves after the ice caps melted. How it had eroded the floor, walls and ceiling. How the waves had washed against the sides creating wide dimples in places over time.
The time taken to make it is still difficult for them to comprehend. I still find it hard to fully appreciate. Its difficult to get your mind around how long it would take a stalactite to reach down and join up with its stalagmite. I hope the trip opened their minds.
They were fascinated by the caves.
They were fascinated by the skeleton of a Cheddar cave bear.
They were fascinated by the Cheddar man, whose complete skeleton lay undisturbed for 9,ooo years.
They were not interested at all in the Cheddar cheese which is still left to mature in the caves. Oh well. Can’t win them all.
Oooh I’d love to visit there, it looks amazing.
Lovely photo’s!!
I went to Wookey Hole on a school trip many years ago and I’ve never forgotten how brilliant that was.
It is really worth a visit. I think out of the two, the Cheddar caves are my favourite. I took loads of photos, but really thinned them down. Judging by the photos on my camera, I was really fascinated by the wonderful markings on the walls of the caves. Just amazing.
Looks like an amazing place!
The children were really exciting to go at last. It is amazing.
Lovely pictures, it’s been years since I visited there, really wonderful place – another one I must do with our daughter sometime soon, she’d love it there.
I’m sure she would love it. My six year old was so enthusiastic about the caves and the exhibitions. They all had a go at cave painting. It was enough without being too much. They came home enthused and not over tired, which is just the way I like it. When I asked them what they would like to do today, they all said they wanted to go back to the caves.
We are swapping comments!!! What an awesome outing!!! My kids would just about die if they saw that skeleton!!! But the caves look quite amazing!!! Amazing… I love all the stripes in the rocks!!! Quite amazing!!!
Ha! I thought you were online at the same time! The shapes made by all the dripping, were amazing as well. It doesn’t come out well in the photos, but some areas looked like the folds of a cloak that had been petrified (not in the scared sense!) I could have spent a lot longer in there. Caves are amazing places.
Excellent photos …that looks like a really interesting place to go …totally amazing actually!
btw…I’m fascinated by the cheese storage 😀
Cheddar is well worth a visit. The caves are amazing to walk through. At the end of one lot of caves, it opens up to a chamber that is called Solomon’s temple, which I just could not capture on film. There are also lots of shadows and stalagmites for the children to spot that look like crocodiles, frogs, etc. All natural.
Locals have traditionally kept the cheddar cheese in the caves to mature. The caves stay at a constant temperature, which is perfect for the cheese. Just as it should be really! 🙂
Wow! Simply stuning. What an amazing range of tones and shapes inside the cave. Hmm the cheddar cheese… was there any sampling? 😉
Luciana
No sampling in the caves, while we were there. 🙁 They keep tourists well away. There are plenty of places in the town to take the tour and sample all sorts of cheddar. I can vouch that cheddar cheese does taste yummy. We are planning on taking the children for a tour so I will volunteer to sample some and give a more detailed report. The sacrifices I make! 🙂