V elvet Bottom and the West Mendip Way lead us to the dramatic views from the northern edge of Cheddar Gorge on this circle along the West Mendip escarpment.

Walk through a beautiful landscape shaped by man's mining activities, and now by rabbits, then go across typical high open Mendip landscape. After following the edge of the Gorge with great views, the walk goes through Black Rock Nature Reserve and ends along the top of Velvet Bottom valley, giving totally different vistas. In season, take time to do an optional 20-minute loop through a remarkable bluebell wood.

This is a good dog outing, too, although they may have problems with two high ladder stiles. Wear good shoes or boots as some of the route is quite rocky and slippery. A walking pole could be a great help.

Go prepared for quite cold weather and winds up here. There are two or three hills, but none of them too strenuous, and also a long, stepped route downhill.

There is no refreshment on the way, so why not pack a Thermos and take a picnic.

It's about 5.75 miles /2.75 hours. Use the map OS Explorer 141, Cheddar Gorge & Mendip Hills West, ref: 502 554.

Park near Charterhouse Centre. From the A368, Churchill to Blagdon road take the B3134 road up Burrington Combe heading across Mendip and after about 3 miles, take the side turn on the right to Charterhouse.

After more than three quarters of a mile reach Charterhouse Outdoor Activity Centre and office of the AONB on the left – once the village school. Go on and pass the small chapel on your right and drop downhill. On the bend park on the left along the side of the road.

START

Walk back in the direction of the Centre and just before starting uphill turn left on a track to a gate with a footpath marker. Go through and follow the track through Velvet Bottom.

This is an astonishing landscape sculpted by man's mining activities and now a rabbit paradise and a nature reserve attracting much wildlife. It is managed by the Somerset Wildlife Trust on the floor of a dry river valley and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its ecology and archaeology.

Reminders of lead mining can be seen in the shape of the humpy, bumpy ground and further on, the grassed-over settlement dams from the lead mining and resmelting industry. They were designed to retain lead and stop polluted water entering the water system. There is some evidence to suggest that this area was worked before the Roman invasion of Britain.

It is a fairly barren landscape because of the lead in the soil but the dry grassland supports populations of adders and lizards, butterflies and grasshoppers. And there are foxes, stoats and weasels on the ground as well as the occasional buzzard or kestrel above. A variety of wild flowers and heathers completes the picture, depending on the time of year.

If you look left across to the fence line on the other side of this grassy valley, note the large wooden ladder stile. We return this way.

1. HUT

Go past the large hut, known as the Mendip Adventure Centre, which has seen better days. Keep it on your right and then continue on the track where there is plenty of shiny black galena from resmelting lead strewn around.

Further on come across the different grassed-over resettlement tanks. How different would the scene have been along here 150 years ago, and way back in Roman Times or earlier. After about a mile and a quarter reach a gate at the end.

2. GATE

Turn right on this wide grassy swathe in Black Rock Nature Reserve. Go through another gate and reach a board about Longwood Nature Reserve which is ahead.

This is an area of ancient woodland and limestone grassland with remarkable bluebells, orchids and a variety of wildflowers.

If you want a bluebell detour, go over the gate into Longwood and after a few yards, turn steeply right up steps. The bluebells are all through this wood. If you want to make a circle of it, continue to the top then turn left and after several minutes follow the path as it drops back down to the bottom. Turn left on the track back to the gate and rejoin our main walk (the whole detour would take about 20 minutes).

For the main walk, don't go into Longwood but stay on the main track – the West Mendip Way. Follow it uphill under trees. Cross a stile and continue in the same direction in the open with the hedge/fence on your left. Over on the right stretches the well-named Long Wood. After nearly three quarters of a mile, reach a farm drive.

3. FARM DRIVE

Turn left over a cattle grid on the drive. You are now striding out on the flat, across open-top Mendip.

Just before the entrance to Piney Sleight Farm, go right through a gate following the footpath arrow. In the far left corner, a stone slab stile takes you over on to a path. Follow this along the side of the garden, which may be patrolled by a pair of fierce dogs, but they are fenced in so don't worry too much!

At the end of the path cross over into a field and maintain direction with the crumbling stone wall on your right. Go on into the next field and at the end you get a great view over the Levels and Cheddar Reservoir.

Continue straight on and in the bottom right corner go ahead through a gate, leaving the National Trust's Piney Sleight reserve. Turn left with the wall on your left. At the end, go left through a gate and now follow the path along the edge of the gorge.

4. GORGE

It can be very sheltered in parts along here, even in winter, and as it is south-facing may be quite warm, so it's a good place for a refreshment stop.

Continue along watching your footing as it is quite uneven and rocky in parts. Then eventually go down a long flight of steps.

5. LADDER STILE

At the foot, head across and climb over a large ladder stile. Maintain direction going through open land and then on through woodland, where you may well encounter mud. Cross a stile on the way.

Go through another open section and again into woodland and then drop downhill to reach Black Rock Nature Reserve and a gate. Ignore this and turn left along the wide track.

6. BLACK ROCK

This 181-acre reserve is made up of woodland and limestone grassland and is an outstanding habitat for dormice, and both greater and lesser horseshoe bats use the area for feeding. A large number of woodland birds enjoy the reserve as well as a variety of butterflies including the small blue, dark green fritillary, dingy skipper and green hairstreak.

Pass a restored lime kiln and soon see the dramatic cliffs of an old quarry. Ignore gates on the right and continue on almost to where you were earlier, near the end of Velvet Bottom.

7. STONE STILE

Turn right at a No. 2 sign and "long trail, short trail" crossing over a stone stile. Follow the path straight on uphill. At the top in the corner go left through a large metal gate. Go ahead and drop down through a small dip and then up and on.

Go through another gate and now continue ahead along the grassy top with the wall on your right. You are along the top of Velvet Bottom. The path undulates but just continue on.

Go over a stile ahead and maintain direction across this next field but shortly start to bear left towards the valley.

When you get to the edge look for the adventure hut you passed earlier and some way to the right of this is a large ladder stile in the boundary below. Once over, make your way across the small valley and up on to the track on the other side. Turn right back to the start, retracing your earlier route.