Dan posted an update
5 hours ago (edited)
Cheddar Gorge, Somerset: Nortent Skjul bivvi Camp
Late April 2026
What a cool place Cheddar Gorge is. I’ve driven through here a few times over the last year and always promised myself I’d come back properly to explore it and camp.
It was mid-week, sunny, but still chilly with very strong winds. Overnight wind speeds on the gorge tops were roughly 25–30 mph (40–48 km/h), which was a pretty good test for the Nortent Skjul.
For the full camping write-up, including photos and route details from the Cliff Top Gorge Walk, you can read the main blog post here: A Windy Night Above Cheddar Gorge (Skjul Bivvi Camp)
I began my walk at Jacob’s Ladder, mainly because I already knew this side was the busiest side. The opposite side, where I planned to finish and camp, would also give me a shorter walk back to where I parked in the morning.
The top section above Jacob’s Ladder has plenty of flat grass areas and some tucked-away spots lower down along the cliff edges, all with fantastic views. The drawback is it’s very exposed and close to the main Cliff Top Gorge Walk..
The opposite side was much quieter. There were loads of possible spots, from open cliff-top grass areas with views, to more sheltered patches tucked between gorse, hawthorn and on the edges of fields.
I ended up choosing one of the more hidden spots among the bushes. There are paths nearby and the area is easy to reach, but in mid-week and after dark, the chances of someone wandering up here are pretty low.
Getting there:
There are car parks along the road running through the gorge.I am not sure if they are free or paid. Personally, I wouldn’t leave my car overnight in any of them.
There are also paid car parks near the town itself. I parked a few minutes walk away on Orchard Way, just off Silver Street, where there was plenty of free on-street parking.
Heads up:
I visited mid-week at the end of April and planned it that way in the hope that it would be quiet and it was. I imagine weekends and the warmer months are really busy.
Jacob’s Ladder definitely seemed like the busiest area and where I saw most people. I also passed a few people around Black Rock Quarry. There are some great flat grassy areas there, but also lots of fire pits and signs of a social hangout spot.
The side where I stayed had far more variety in the way of tucked-away areas and camping spots. In the evening, as I was looking for a place to camp, I was getting closer to the town. This is when I saw a few runners along the route from the town to the top along the Cliff Top route.
I had a good night and a good spot with a view of the cliff tops on the other side and Glastonbury Tor in the distance. I did see people and camera flashes coming for the top of the cliffs on the other side.
I slept okay under the noisy wind-battered canvas of the Skjul. I saw no one all night, or in the morning as I walked back to where I parked.
Good phone signal and internet all along the cliff tops, but no signal in the gorge itself.
DM me if you’d like the exact coordinates of the spot I used.
#nortentskjul #bivvicamp #somerset #wildcamping
ourscapes.com
A Windy Night Above Cheddar Gorge (Skjul Bivvi Camp)
A spring walk and bivvi camp above Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, with cliff paths, goats, strong winds and a night in the Nortent Skjul.
