Bristol & Cheddar Gorge
Saturday 6th – Monday 8th May 2023
Day 1
After watching a bit of the Kings coronation we headed off on our Bristol adventure. Driving in torrential rain meant it was very much a roof up journey with the first stop for fish and chips (or chips and gravy for Vikki) followed by mint choc chip ice cream on the beach at Weston-Super-Mare when the sun started to make an appearance. While the chips and ice cream were good the pier didn’t look worth the £1 per person to go on it so we didn’t bother!
We headed on to our hotel and when we arrived there was an entire wedding party posing outside the entrance for photos! After gatecrashing through them to get in we had to do the same to get back out as access to our room was outside and round the corner!
The room was fantastic, a living area and separate bedroom, very luxurious and complete with Alice in Wonderland style drinks and treats as well as a complete kitchen in a cupboard! We decided to head out to explore only to find the bride and groom who we had already disturbed twice were now having photos taken in the stairwell we needed to go down to get out!
After picking up some supplies from the shops we decided to use our pass for a nearby health club and went for a swim (well very little swimming), sauna and steam room. Then it was back to the room to get changed and try to work out how to use the incredibly complicated tv / projector set up before heading out for dinner.
Nice place, but busy and Vikki got the most disgusting porn star martini that seemed to have no passionfruit in it and was sprinkled with sugar – it must have been bad because she wouldn’t drink it! Got it swapped for a Cosmopolitan which came in the smallest glass ever. After dinner we went for a walk round the city and ended up in Brewdog playing Jenga, Connect 4 and some random memory game which Vikki may have taken advantage of the fact that Steve couldn’t see properly! Scooters back to the hotel for a drink in our posh hotel robes before bed.
Day 2
Bit of a rushed start to the day as the alarm didn’t go off and we woke at 9.36am with breakfast finishing at 9.45am. Once again we seemed to be gatecrashing the wedding party as it was just us and them in the dining room for breakfast. Delicious breakfast smoothie but not so delicious French toast which was so sweet Vikki couldn’t eat and there were bones in the smoked salmon.
Back to the room for a coffee and shower (which looked good but did in fact wash the entire bathroom floor when being used) and then we headed off to Cheddar Gorge. After the obligatory missed turn we arrived and the search for a parking space began. Eventually found one, although it is questionable whether it could actually be called a parking space, got our tickets and started to explore.
The were cold and dark and, well, cave like! We had a lovely lunch at a cafe in a pretty outside garden and then had a tour with a bit of a strange guide through the main caves. After that we climbed Jacobs ladder which was a bit of a leg work out and went on a lovely, if not rocky, walk which ended in a steep decline, followed by a disappointing ice cream van as he only took cash and ended with a dash to the car to avoid getting a parking fine (as the space was indeed not a space!)
We then headed to Burnham-on-Sea to meet with Steve’s friend and family for coffee and pudding at a dessert restaurant, which unfortunately had no whippy ice cream as well as no staff who know how to make coffees. After having yummy crepes we walked it off along the beach before heading back to the hotel.
We watched some of the kings coronation concert in our lovely room before heading out for dinner, only to discover most places were shut! We ended up at The Stables for pizza (Vikki’s favourite!) but then made up for it by having cocktails after, before scooting back to the hotel.
