New animation brings story of Cheddar Caves to life

A new immersive multi-sensory visitor experience celebrating one of Britain’s natural wonders has launched in the South West.

Yeo’s Journey at Cheddar Gorge & Caves in Somerset uses state of the art lighting, music, animation and colour to tell the story of how the caves were formed and evolved by the power of water. It is believed to be a UK first for the use of animation inside a cave.

The caves were created over hundreds of millions of years with the River Yeo – from which the experience gets its name - now flowing through under the cave.

Cheddar Gorge was recently named one of UK’s most unforgettable natural landmarks and the historic complex of caves has been owned by descendants of Sir John Thynne, the first Marquess of Bath whose family seat is at Longleat in Wiltshire, since the 16^th century.

Image: The new immersive experience at Cheddar Caves

Lord Bath, the 8^th Marquess, said: “This immersive journey very much demonstrates the uniqueness of these caves, and the experience brings to life the effect of the water in this area over millions of years.

“It has sculpted and shaped this incredible place. It will enable people to make many discoveries from the home of the rainbow – structures created by the water trickling through the limestone – through to a mirror pool where perfectly clear waters reflect the flowstone formation above it, a natural masterpiece. This is an attraction which utilises the natural beauty of Cox’s Cave,” he added.

Fenia Vitali, General Manager, who led the project, said: “Without water we would not have the caves we have today, we wanted to celebrate that natural wonder.

“Working with our partners, we have introduced imagery projected against the cave chamber walls, brought ‘Yeo’ to life to narrate the story and used state-of-the art lighting and sound effects to create a unique attraction.

“With this experience, visitors are taken on a journey through time to celebrate the different eras and the power of water to shape the landscape, the caves and the formations we see around us.

“We wanted to create something which was awe inspiring and thought provoking yet balanced with the natural beauty and fit for its time. Multi-media technology has been used before, but we believe this is the first-time animation has been used inside a cave in the UK.

“It is also a reminder of the importance of protecting our natural resources and how we can impact on our environment,” she added.

Image: The new immersive experience at Cheddar Caves

The new experience has been 18 months in the planning and has seen the Cheddar team work with DJW – Audio-visual installation specialists who have also worked on Direct from Graceland: Elvis in London, Titanic Belfast, and Bletchley Park and Revenant – an internationally award winning animation studio.

Yeo’s Journey is one of six attractions included in the day ticket at Cheddar Gorge and Caves and can be booked at www.cheddargorge.co.uk.