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After a couple of hours gaping at/taking photos of/climbing on Cheddar Gorge (10 minutes' drive) and exploring the caverns next door (also 10 minutes), more geological goodies lie in wait to Wookey Hole (20 minutes), an impressive cave complex with an underground river (parts are so spooky that the Doctor Who film crew used it as a backdrop for alien invasion). Twitchers and walkers, meanwhile, may prefer to stick above ground and mosey around Ebbor Gorge National Nature Reserve (20 minutes). Bonus birdlife can be spotted at official RSPB sites like Ham Wall (20 minutes) and Greylake (30 minutes). All that sitting still may not suit younger tots, of course. If that's the case, sling a bucket and spade in the boot and head to Weston-super-Mare’s beaches (30 minutes), stroll the cobbled streets of Wells (30 minutes) or make for Bath (an hour) and play dress-up at the Jane Austen Museum. Older kids (in suitably old clothes…) can be treated to action-packed outdoor adventure at Bristol Paintball (30 minutes) or Cheddar Watersports (10 minutes).