3 Cheddar Gorge

SOMERSET

TOLKIEN WAS SO TAKEN WITH CHEDDAR GORGE after he honeymooned there in 1916 that it provided inspiration for Helm’s Deep in The Lord of the Rings. Carved from the earth in the last Ice Age, the limestone cliffs, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills, form England’s largest natural canyon. Now a Site of Special Scientific Interest, they are dotted with rock roses and wild goats. Trek to the top through dappled woods and kissing gates for panoramic views over the Somerset Levels, Quantock Hills and across the Bristol Channel (mendiphillsaonb.org.uk).