Gorgeous Gorges

Gorge: noun. A deep narrow valley with steep sides, formed by a river or stream cutting through hard rock.

Gorges are spectacular geographical features that are ever-popular with visitors. There are gorges which can be viewed from a road, and others that require a more or less challenging walk to view them at their best. Here are just a few.

ENGLAND

Lydford Gorge

Carved into the western edge of Dartmoor, Lydford Gorge is a narrow defile through the rock carrying the River Lyd. Various paths take you around and through the gorge, most notable being the Whitelady Waterfall Trail and the Devil's Cauldron Trail. Whitelady Waterfall is weel-named, being a cascade of white water crashing for 30m down the near-vertical side of the gorge. Even more spectacular is the Devil's Cauldron where the waters of the river plunge into an eroded pothole squeezed between the cliffs on either side. A causeway allows visitors to get up close and personal to this, the most iconic feature of Lydford.

The depths of the gorge are a rare piece of temperate rainforest, with the sides hung with deep green mosses and ferns. On either side are ancient oak woodlands filled with abundant wildlife.

Suggested hotels:
The Horn of Plenty, Gulworthy
Lewtrenchard Manor, Lewdown

Cheddar Gorge

Cheddar Gorge is a 400 foot deep slash in the Mendip Hills created a million years ago by glaciers. It's a breathtaking setting that provides heart-pumping exercise for walkers following the paths on the side of the gorge or cyclists who pound their way up the road. The most special walk takes in Jacob's Ladder, a sequence of 274 steps (who counted them?!) up to the rim of the gorge where there are massive views of both the gorge and the Somerset Levels spreading away to the south. From the viewing point walkers can follow a path along the crest before picking up the road near the top and descending to the starting point.  For those who choose to stay in their car, it's a lovely drive to wind up through the gorge before popping out on top of the Mendips. There's plenty more of scenic and historical interest up there too, including the Roman lead mines at Priddy.

Cheddar is not just famous for its gorge though. Think Cheddar Cheese, Cheddar Caves and Cheddar Man. All these link together near the point where Cheddar Gorge meets the village. The caves there have been used for centuries for the maturing of Cheddar cheese and were also the site of one of the most important discoveries in early palaeontology. First found in 1903, Cheddar Man was originally thought to be 40,000 - 80,000 years old but has subsequently been dated to around 10,000 years ago. He remains the oldest near complete skeleton found in Great Britain though, and has been the subject of much recent genealogical research that has revealed a great deal of new information about our ancestors.

Suggested hotels:
The Bath Arms, Cheddar
The Covenstead, Glastonbury

SPAIN

El Chorro

The mountains of Andalucia are home to a thousand spectacular sights and walks but perhaps none can exceed the grandeur of El Chorro. We've mentioned it before, but make no apologies for telling its story once again. Excavated by the Guadalhorce river, the gorge is barely 10 metres wide in places yet reaches 400 metres in height. Bathed in the brilliant light of the Spanish sunshine, the gorge and the lake below are utterly entrancing. But there's more!

In the early 1900s El Chorro was the location for one of the earliest hydro-electric schemes and a path was built to access it. Not just any ordinary path, parts of it were pinned to the vertical rock face with no visible means of support. Following a visit by King Alfonso XIII for the inauguration of the Conde del Guadalhorce dam, it gained its name: the Caminito del Rey. The total length is 8 kilometres from the village of El Chorro but it is the final 3 kilometres that make the walk so famous.

Ove the years the ravages of time had converted it from a white-knuckle adventure to one bordering on insanity. But the continuing interest in the place was the reason that the Andalucian government eventually decided to renovate and reopen the caminito in a safer but still pretty hair-raising form. The new path opened in 2015 to provide a unique day out for any visitor with a strong head for heights. The photo below shows visitors on the new caminito while a few feet below them are the crumbling concrete and rusty steel of the original.

Suggested hotels:
El Chorro Villas
Cortijo Valverde, Álora

Rio Cares Gorge

Sometimes call the "Divine Gorge", the walk along the Rio Cares has elements of the Caminito about it, but this time without the sense of being suspended in mid-air. The total walk is about 12 km from end to end but if you want something shorter, just turn around part way. The well-maintained path is 1.5 metres wide throughout, making it easy to stay well back from the precipitate drops that feature along much of the way and (of course) give the walk its USP.

Just like El Chorro, the Cares river has been used as a source of hydro-electric power. So in addition to the natural wonders there is also a lot of industrial archaeology to be seen along the route. This includes bridges and a canal with an amazing 71 tunnels, with water appearing and disappearing throughout the journey.

The Rio Cares gorge is in the Picos de Europa mountain range, so while you are in the area there is a great deal more of interest too. Or head to the coast and see the quaint fishing villages and beautiful Santillana del Mar.

Suggested hotels:
Palacio de Cutre, Infiesto
Hotel Valleoscuru, Tresgrandas

FRANCE

Gorges de la Diosaz

Proving that the Chamonix region is not just a winter-sports destination, the hanging path of the Diosaz gorges offers a grandiose and unusual spectacle. The shady path leads deep into the heart of the canyon, crossing bridges over the rapids below and passing waterfalls along the way before reaching the climax of the biggest waterfall at the top. It's a fairly short trip up, of about 2 km, but like most gorge paths it is steep in places. The best time to visit is late spring or early summer when the flow of water is at its greatest.

Suggested hotels:
Les Chalets des Liarets, Chamonix
Hotel U'Fredy, La Clusaz

Cirque de Gavarnie

 The three "circuses" in the French Pyrenees cover a vast area and provide a huge range of walking and viewing options. We have chosen the main path up to the waterfall of the Cirque de Gavarnie because it is not too arduous yet rewards you with some incredible views. It's a round trip just short of 4km each way and at the top you will find yourself facing the waterfall and a rock face fully 1500m high. Treat the extra walk up to the base of the waterfall as optional as the going gets much tougher there.

The area offers diverses choices for enjoyment throughout the year but most people will obviously choose the warmer months, though perhaps not the very height of summer.

Suggested hotel:
L'Estancat, Pardies-Piétat

ITALY

Orrido di Bellano

The Orrido di Bellano is a dramatic natural gorge located on the eastern shore of Lake Como in northern Italy. Carved over thousands of years by the rushing waters of the Pioverna River, the gorge features steep rock walls, swirling turquoise water, and narrow passages that create a striking and almost otherworldly landscape. Visitors can explore the Orrido safely thanks to a system of suspended walkways and bridges that allow close views of the chasm and its powerful currents.

Beyond its natural beauty, the Orrido di Bellano also has historical and cultural significance. As early as the 15th century, engineers worked to make the gorge accessible and to control the river for local industries such as mills. Legends and folklore surround the site, adding to its mysterious atmosphere, including stories connected to the so-called “Ca’ del Diavol” (Devil’s House).

Suggested hotel:
Villa Aurora, Lake Como

 Alcantara Gorge

Located close to Taormina in Sicily, The Alcantara Gorge is the product of lava flows from past eruptions of Mount Etna. When the hot lava hit the cold water of the Alcantara river is cooled rapidly and cracked into geometric shapes and basalt columns. While the river is 45km long, the gorge is just 800m so it's an easy walk to enjoy the unique geological structures and the crashing, tumbling waters. More adventurous visitors can immerse themselves in the river (be warned: it's cold!) for swimming, cliff jumping or body rafting.

The incredible volcanic rock formations mark out the Alcantara as quite different from other gorges with the columnar basalt and 25m high walls. Meanwhile the river marches along via rapids and the picturesque waterfall of Venus Pool. Another nearby jewel of the Alcantara river is the Gurne Lakes, a series of five natural pools that make a great finish to a day on the Alcantara.

Suggested hotel:
Mediterranean Charm, Mascali

20 Dec 2025, 15:21