Burrington Combe

Burrington Combe is a steep-sided limestone gorge in the Mendip Hills of North Somerset. It cuts through Carboniferous rocks and once held a river that has since vanished. The valley walls expose layers of sandstone, mudstone and limestone from different geological periods. Triassic conglomerates appear in places along the sides. Above the gorge lies Burrington Camp, an Iron Age hillfort with Romano-British traces. The site is worth visiting for its long human story and varied wildlife. People have sheltered in its caves for more than ten thousand years, leaving graves from the Bronze Age and bones of Ice Age animals. The caves include Goatchurch Cavern, explored since 1736, where witch marks and Ice Age bones have been found. Aveline’s Hole holds Britain’s earliest scientifically dated cemetery. The limestone slopes support uncommon plants such as salad burnet and rock-rose. A path follows the dry valley floor past the Rock of Ages rock, linked by legend to the hymn’s composition. The surrounding grasslands and scrub hold hawthorn, gorse and mountain ash. Bats roost in several caves, and the varied geology makes every view distinct. The contrast between the pale limestone and darker Triassic outcrops frames the scene.