周辺の天然記念物・トップ20

Black Down Hill or Beacons Batch is the highest hill in the Mendip Hills at 325m, Somerset, in south-western England. Black Down lies just a few miles eastward of the Bristol Channel at Weston-super-Mare, and provides a view over the Chew Valley. It has a trig pointed summit and is a UK designated Marilyn with a prominence of over 150m.

Take a break here before the climb

This is the easy part.

A great climb! Very long, but nice and steady for the most part.

Classic Mendip climb. Just ride it!

Ebbor Gorge is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and National Nature Reserve(NNR). Dramatic limestone gorge with interesting caves of important past climate research. Its ancient woodland combes are rich in wildlife and of the Mendip Hills AONB's special qualities

This special site is designated as a Site of Special Scientific interest for its valuable wildlife habitats and is a nationally important site for its archaeology from the late Stone Age and Bronze Age through to the Second World War. Black Down provides the largest area of open access on the Mendip Hills at over 400 ha. Black Down, like most heathlands, is formed through a combination of factors– soil type, rainfall and human activity. The underlying Old Red Sandstone rock together with high rainfall created a waterlogged and acidic soil. The removal of tree cover by our Bronze Age ancestors 2,000 years ago helped to make sure that the soil stayed damp and acid. Only certain plants can survive in this type of ground. The key species include heather or ling, bell heather, bilberry, purple moor grass and European gorse, along with mosses and lichens. Now the bracken is managed by harvesting and grazing by cattle and wild ponies to allow the heathers and grasses to flourish again. Black Down supports a wide variety of birds, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates.

This special site is designated as a Site of Special Scientific interest for its valuable wildlife habitats and is a nationally important site for its archaeology from the late Stone Age and Bronze Age through to the Second World War. Black Down provides the largest area of open access on the Mendip Hills at over 400 ha. Black Down, like most heathlands, is formed through a combination of factors– soil type, rainfall and human activity. The underlying Old Red Sandstone rock together with high rainfall created a waterlogged and acidic soil. The removal of tree cover by our Bronze Age ancestors 2,000 years ago helped to make sure that the soil stayed damp and acid. Only certain plants can survive in this type of ground. The key species include heather or ling, bell heather, bilberry, purple moor grass and European gorse, along with mosses and lichens. Now the bracken is managed by harvesting and grazing by cattle and wild ponies to allow the heathers and grasses to flourish again. Black Down supports a wide variety of birds, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates.

Black Down is the highest area of the Mendip Hills and affords wonderful views across the Bristol Channel into Wales, over Weston-super-Mare, the Chew Valley, the Quantocks and beyond. There are many Bronze Age burial sites dotted around. You might also see the wild ponies strutting their stuff.

Beacon Batch is the highest point in the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. From the trig point, you get breathtaking panoramic views that stretch over the Bristol Channel into Wales, over Weston-super-Mare, the Chew Valley and across the Mendips. There are Bronze Age burial mounds at the summit, too. A very special place with lots of great walking to enjoy all around.

Ebbor Gorge is a magnificent limestone gorge within the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Designated as a national nature reserve, the mixed woodland and deep gorge is home to much flora and fauna, including 250 species of mosses, liverworts and lichens. The caves within the gorge were inhabited by neolithic people and flint tools have been found. The path through the gorge is steep, rocky, wet and muddy. If you have decent footwear and average fitness, you’ll be fine. If you are planning to complete the round walk, I’d recommend going up the gorge (it’s so much fun you don’t notice the effort) and down the meadows (as the views are amazing and with you for the whole descent).

The path through the gorge starts off pretty tame but gets steeper, rockier, wetter, muddier and narrower as you go. It's great fun and packed with interest. If you have average fitness and decent footwear you'll be fine.

Climbing is far nicer than descending, particularly when it's busy....

A great descent, and that's from someone who doesn't particularly like descending!

Views out to Bristol Channel, over to Wales and of course of all the wild horses.

Panoramic views

One of the classic road climbs in the Mendips. There's still a good kick up after the second cattle grid so save some beans.

5.5% ave gradient for 3.5k

Look out for the famous 'Rock of Ages' on your right towards the bottom of the climb. It's a cleft in the rock face where an Anglican vicar called Augutus Toplady sheltered from a storm in 1776 and was inspired to write the hymn 'Rock of ages, cleft for me'.

A smaller version of Cheddar Gorge.