Velvet Bottom Nature Reserve

The reserve forms part of the Cheddar Gorge Site of Special Scientific Interest. The site is also part of a candidate Special Area of Conservation designated for limestone grassland, ravine woodland, and greater and lesser horseshoe bats. Most of the top end of the reserve is scheduled as an Ancient Monument to protect the Victorian lead workings.

Lead has been mined at Velvet Bottom since before Roman times. last worked by the Victorians who left the buddle pits (circular washing pits to separate lead ore) and slag at the top of the valley, and a series of dams and settling beds dominating the lower valley. Lead still contaminates the ground and when water tables are high grazing animals are at risk from lead poisoning.

A number of plants are adapted to high lead levels, notably alpine penny-cross and spring sandwort, but also thyme and lady's bedstraw. Due to lead in the soil, bracken is raraely found on the settling beds but is found along the edges, in places with meadow saffron.