Home Overview maps Locality areas Cheddar Gorge Charterhouse Blackdown Burrington Combe Shipham & Rowberrow Crook Peak & Axbridge Banwell to Churchill Priddy Harptree & Smitham Hill Draycott & Westbury-sub -Mendip Wookey Hole & Ebbor Gorge Wells Great Elm & Vallis Vale Mells & the Wadbury Valley The Vobster area The Whatley area Torr Works & Asham Wood Beacon Hill Stoke St Michael & Oakhill Holwell & Nunney Shepton Mallet & Maesbury Gurney Slade & Emborough The Nettlebridge valley Geology Rocks of Mendips Fossils Geological timescale Ancient environments Geological structure Minerals and mines Minerals and mines Industrial archaeology Quarrying Stone as a resource Employment & the economy Quarrying & geodiversity Quarrying & the environment History of quarrying Caves and karst How caves form Dry valleys and gorges Dolines and sinkholes Mendip caves Going caving Hydrogeology Biodiversity Flora and fauna Typical Mendip habitats Special Mendip habitats Horseshoe bats Appendix of names Biodiversity of western Mendip Biodiversity of eastern Mendip External links Detailed site information Coal mining Mendip quarry companies East Mendip quarries Biodiversity of eastern Mendip West Mendip quarries Biodiversity of western Mendip Acknowledgements Site map	Welcome to ‘Foundations of the Mendips’ website Welcome to this interactive guide to the natural and man-made landscape of the Mendip Hills. The Mendips are situated 30 km south of Bristol, in south-west England. The site shows that rocks and minerals are critical in forming the foundations of this beautiful and special region, its varied ecology and rich cultural heritage. It is designed so you can delve further into the geology, natural history and industrial archaeology of the Mendip Hills. At its heart are two three-dimensional models that will allow you to 'fly' across the landscape and find out more about the links between scenery and geology, biodiversity, industry, and mineral extraction in the Mendip Hills. To navigate round the site, the information is divided into sections describing various aspects of the Mendips including: Rocks and fossils Quarrying Minerals and mines Caves and karst Biodiversity and natural history In addition, you can look at specific areas by using the interactive map. Follow the links, take a virtual tour and find out more about this special landscape. Captions will appear if you hover the cursor over the photographs. If would like to explore the area on the ground, two 1:25 000 scale geological maps and guidebooks accompany this website and can be purchased at the BGS online shop.
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© British Geological Survey, NERC 2013. This site is hosted by the British Geological Survey but responsibility for the content of the site lies with Foundations of the Mendips website not with the British Geological Survey. Questions, suggestions or comments regarding the contents of this site should be directed to Dr Andrew Farrant.