After about a week, it was time to get back on the road. Fond farewells were exchanged, then we were off, back to the traffic lights, straight over, heading towards Chew Valley. Just before the village of Burrington I turned right and into Burrington Combe, a much smaller gorge than Cheddar, but lovely, all the same. I parked under the ‘Rock of Ages’, so called as legend has it that Augustus Montague Toplady was inspired to write that hymn whilst sheltering beneath it during a thunderstorm. Combe is a Celtic word meaning ‘deep-sided valley’.
Again, there are many caves and evidence of human activity going back over 10,000 years. The oldest known burial was discovered at Aveline’s Hole.
One day I climbed up through the woods, passing a number of small caves en route to the hillfort. There is a lot of gorse about at the hillfort. I had a job to find an alternative path when confronted by a huge bullock who was not inclined to move from the path I was taking! From the top there is a great view over the gorge.
