Improvement works begin on Cheddar Gorge path

A popular walking route around Cheddar Gorge is being upgraded

A popular walking route around a tourist attraction is being upgraded by the National Trust after deteriorating in recent years.

Gorge Walk offers visitors the chance to complete a circuit of Cheddar Gorge in Somerset within the Mendip Hills.

The footpath leading north from the B3135 near the Black Rock car park has been restored, with local company Heidelberg Materials donating 60 tonnes of aggregate for the new foundations.

The months-long project is scheduled to be finished by next summer.

The material came from the Batts Combe Quarry off Warrens Hill, less than a mile from the National Trust-managed beauty spot.

The trust’s project manager Lilly Dawson said: “The path was restored with the most local stone available, which ensured the changes blended well with the character of this well-known landscape.”

Contractors have been making improvements to Gorge Walk in the first phase of works

Contractors will now turn their attention to the lengthy path along the northern side of the gorge, much of which follows the West Mendip Way long-distance footpath.

Simon Parkes, unit manager at Batts Combe Quarry, said: “We are delighted to provide ongoing support for this project with the National Trust.

Gorge Walk has become difficult for visitors to navigate in places

“The updated pathway will benefit both the locals and visitors to Cheddar Gorge and we are looking forward to seeing the completed project.”

Cheddar Gorge - the largest of its kind in England - is renowned for its limestone cliffs and caves, wide range of wildlife and rare plant species.

The Gorge Walk project was partially funded through a grant from the Farming in Protected Landscapes Fund, set up to enhance and protect public rights of way within national parks or national landscapes.