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Pubs Near Wookey Hole Caves

Hidden deep in the heart of the Mendip Hills, the world-famous caves of Wookey Hole are the UK’s largest show caves system, and home to the legendary Witch of Wookey Hole!

Our collection of Somerset country pubs are some of the finest in the area – all offering delicious food, warm atmospheres and award-winning Butcombe beer on tap.

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Bath Berkshire Bournemouth Bristol Cotswolds Dorset Gloucestershire Hampshire The Mendips New Forest Oxfordshire Somerset South West West Sussex Wiltshire
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Cheddar Gorge Chew Valley Glastonbury Mendip Hills Wells
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Beer Garden Country Dog-Friendly Family-Friendly Live Music Live Sports Open Fire Pub Quiz Real Ale Christmas Drinks

Pubs & Inns Near Wookey Hole Caves

After spending the day exploring the magical Wookey Hole Caves, stop by one of our pubs in Somerset and enjoy a pint of our refreshing, award-winning Butcombe beer, or enjoy a delicious, classic pub meal.

The Rising Sun

Located in historic Backwell on the outskirts of Bristol and a short drive from Weston-super-Mare, The Rising Sun is a beautiful pub and inn, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. We’re passionate about great food and drink, with an all-day food offer focused on seasonal, locally sourced produce and hearty pub classics. Behind the bar you’ll find plenty of award-winning Butcombe beer and cider, and a wide range of wine and cocktails. A haven for families, walkers, cyclists and locals alike, The Rising Sun offers a huge beer garden with children’s play area, and large carpark – the perfect place to stop after a day exploring the magical Wookey Hole Caves.

The Swan Inn

Located in the ex-mining village of Rowberrow, you’ll find the 17th century Swan Inn. Sample the selection of award-winning Butcombe beers and indulge in delicious, hearty pub classics from the locally-sourced menu that is full of modern twists. After spending your day enjoying Wookey Hole Caves, soak up the sun in the large beer garden with a refreshing pint and a classic pub meal, or cosy up by the open fire indoors with your four-legged friend by your side.

The Bower Inn

If you’re after a swift pint after exploring Wookey Hole Caves, or you’re looking for a hearty meal in Bridgwater, pop into the characterful 18th century Bower Inn. Behind the bar, it’s all about Butcombe beer, local cider, and an array of superb wines and spirits – perfectly paired with head chef Alan’s award-winning sausage rolls!

The Lamb Inn

For a refreshing pint, quick bite, or a more substantial pub meal, visit The Lamb Inn. When you’re exhausted after exploring the attractions of Wookey Hole Caves has to offer, The Lamb Inn is the perfect place to take a break. Indulge with a hand-pulled Butcombe beer, tasty bar snack, or your favourite hearty classic dish in a historic converted coaching inn dating back to 1480, unlike anywhere you’ve been before.

The Langford Inn

Located just a short drive from Wookey Hole Caves, you’ll find The Langford Inn pub. Stop off for a refreshing, award-winning Butcombe beer, wine, spirit, soft drink, cider, or cocktail. Relax in the 17th century, oak-beamed inn with a pint in hand and your pup at your side, and enjoy the crackle of the roaring open fire.

Ring O’ Bells

The Ring O’ Bells is a traditional country pub in the quaint Somerset village of Compton Martin. It is a short drive from the unique Wookey Hole Caves and close to wonderful attractions like Glastonbury, Wells and the Mendip Hills. Stop in for a pint while you’re exploring the countryside, to catch a secret gig from popular and local musicians (previous gigs include Kylie Minogue, Paul Weller and Coldplay), to watch the latest game on the big screen, or for a bite to eat from a menu full of delicious pub classics.

Wookey Hole Caves History

The Witch of Wookey Hole wasn’t the first person to inhabit the caves.

Archaeologists’ findings indicate that man has lived in and around the caves for 50,000 years, with bones of tropical and Ice Age animals such as rhinoceros, bear, mammoth and lion, and flint tools all recovered from the site.

Various other ancient civilizations used the caves as well, including the Celtic people of the Iron Age, who explored deep into the caverns by burning animal fat in simple lamps, reaching the fourth chamber, which they used as a burial site.

The Witch’s Kitchen Cave

A gnarled stalagmite that resides in the first chamber has come to be known as the Witch of Wookey Hole.

Legend has it that during the Dark Ages, there was a witch residing within the caves that cast spells and caused misfortunes for the local villagers. Eventually, the people sought the help of the Abbot at nearby Glastonbury Abbey, who delved into the caves and came across an underground river, which he blessed and splashed at the witch, immediately turning her into stone, forming the stalagmite seen today.

In 1912, an archaeologist named Herbert Balch excavated the 1000 year bones of a woman from the cave, which have been linked to the apparent witch!

Other Caves At Wookey Hole

The Wookey Hole Caves tour includes access to five additional chambers:

  • Great Hall: As you may have guessed, the Great Hall is one of the tallest chambers in Wookey Hole. Soaring up over 70 feet high, it features stalactites and recently discovered witch markings!
  • Witch’s Parlour: Carved out by a swirling whirlpool, this is the largest natural underground dome in the UK, over 200 feet below ground, and with 110,000 tonnes of rock overhead.
  • Cathedral Chamber: The largest ‘rift’ chamber in Wookey Hole, it’s sheer height and red walls from iron oxide make for stunning views.
  • Chamber 20: Very recently opened, 4,000 tonnes of rock were removed to unveil this beautiful cavern with its subterranean lake and breathtaking rock formations.
  • Hyena’s Den: Archaeologists believe that the hyenas that gave this cave its name occupied the cave between 35,000 and 25,000 BC.

Cave-Aged Cheese

Thanks to their high humidity and constant year-round temperature, caves have historically been used as the perfect place to mature cheeses.

The cheese-makers at Ford Farms have revived this age-old tradition in the caves of Wookey Hole, carrying their cheddars two hundred feet underground by hand where they are left to take on the distinctive earthy and nutty flavours from the atmosphere.

The resulting Wookey Hole Cave Aged Cheddar has won many awards – most recently a Gold Medal at the British Cheese Awards, and is available to sample and buy in the Wookey Hole Cave gift shop!

Wookey Hole Attractions

As well as the chance to explore the incredible caves, your ticket provides entrance to a number of other attractions including a game of Pirate Adventure Golf, a knee-knocking wander through Valley of the Dinosaurs amongst more than 30 life-size animatronic beasts, a 30 ft tall model of King Kong, and a Mystic Fairy Garden.

You can also access a range of museums, including the Handmade Paper Mill, where you can have a go at making paper the Victorian way, as well as the Vintage Penny Arcade, where you can try your luck on the biggest collection of original machines in the country!

View the full list of attractions here.