This action is in line with our routine water safety practice at Cheddar Reservoir for extreme heat scenarios.
Update - Thursday 17 July- Friday 18 July 2025
Temporary suspension of public access at Cheddar Reservoir Friday 18 July
With the weather forecast looking hot and sunny, and this being the last day of term, we have made the decision to temporarily suspend general access to the permissive path at Cheddar Reservoir. This action is in line with our water safety campaign.
The suspension will be in effect from sunset on Thursday 17 July till sunset Friday 18 July.
We apologise for any inconvenience or disappointment this causes but site safety is our top priority.
Update - Thursday 10 July - Monday 14th July 2025
The temporary suspension applies from Sunset Thursday 10 July and we expect the path to be reopened ready for visitors on the morning of Monday 14 July.
With the extreme heat, and very little shade around the reservoir’s permissive path, we want everyone to stay safe. We know the water can look very tempting on hot days, but it can be extremely dangerous and we don’t want any extra pressure on the emergency services on what will already be a very busy few days for them.
We apologise for any inconvenience or disappointment this causes. Hopefully with the advance notice we can avoid any wasted journeys and provide time for our regular local visitors to make alternative plans.
We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the community for the much-improved levels of compliance with site rules that we’ve seen this year. This has helped us to keep the path open in all but the most extreme heat circumstances.
Find out more about reservoir safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the cark parks be open?
The two small car parks at Cheddar Sharpham Road and Axbridge entrance will both be closed.
Can I still access the cemetery?
You can still access the cemetery by walking across the playing fields, through the gate near the skate park and into the car park adjacent to the cemetery. The reservoir car park will be locked at the outer gate - however the Parish council have the combination code to access the cemetery for funerals, maintenance etc.
Can I still access the reservoir for Cheddar Watersports/Angling Club?
Members of Cheddar Watersports and people booked on a watersports course, along with Cheddar Angling Club members, will be able to access the reservoir from the Axbridge entrance. Proof of membership or course attendance will be asked for.
What measures will be in place to affect the suspension of access?
Security on site as normal for this time of year. There will be extra signage and barriers up at the reservoir access points and the car parks will be temporarily closed.
Can you section off part of the reservoir for swimming?
Unfortunately, no, this isn’t an option currently. To be confident that everyone could stay safe would require a safety management system and we aren’t positioned to provide that. The local community club Cheddar Watersports operate on the reservoir through a carefully managed approach to stay safe. We remain open to sustainable proposals from the community for similar managed approaches.
Is closing the reservoir really necessary?
We have seen a really positive increase in visitors following the access rules this year, staying out of the water and being #WaterSafe. We’re very grateful to all those enjoying the site safely.
However, we do still have a concerning situation regarding a relatively small number of people attending the site with the intention of swimming. Our experience is that these numbers can quickly increase as the temperatures increase; potentially creating large-scale unauthorised gatherings and an unmanageable situation. Unauthorised swimming in the reservoir is not safe, and even more worrying when unsupervised young people and alcohol are involved. Extreme heat and the kind of unmanageable situations that could arise also puts exceptional strain on our officers and we need to protect them.
In summary, we just want everyone to stay safe during the exceptional heat period and not cause any extra strain on the emergency services.
Will the cark parks be open?
The two small car parks at Cheddar Sharpham Road and Axbridge entrance will both be closed.
Can I still access the cemetery?
You can still access the cemetery by walking across the playing fields, through the gate near the skate park and into the car park adjacent to the cemetery. The reservoir car park will be locked at the outer gate - however the Parish council have the combination code to access the cemetery for funerals, maintenance etc.
Can I still access the reservoir for Cheddar Watersports/Angling Club?
Members of Cheddar Watersports and people booked on a watersports course, along with Cheddar Angling Club members, will be able to access the reservoir from the Axbridge entrance. Proof of membership or course attendance will be asked for.
What measures will be in place to affect the suspension of access?
Security on site as normal for this time of year. There will be extra signage and barriers up at the reservoir access points and the car parks will be temporarily closed.
Can you section off part of the reservoir for swimming?
Unfortunately, no, this isn’t an option currently. To be confident that everyone could stay safe would require a safety management system and we aren’t positioned to provide that. The local community club Cheddar Watersports operate on the reservoir through a carefully managed approach to stay safe. We remain open to sustainable proposals from the community for similar managed approaches.
Is closing the reservoir really necessary?
We have seen a really positive increase in visitors following the access rules this year, staying out of the water and being #WaterSafe. We’re very grateful to all those enjoying the site safely.
However, we do still have a concerning situation regarding a relatively small number of people attending the site with the intention of swimming. Our experience is that these numbers can quickly increase as the temperatures increase; potentially creating large-scale unauthorised gatherings and an unmanageable situation. Unauthorised swimming in the reservoir is not safe, and even more worrying when unsupervised young people and alcohol are involved. Extreme heat and the kind of unmanageable situations that could arise also puts exceptional strain on our officers and we need to protect them.
In summary, we just want everyone to stay safe during the exceptional heat period and not cause any extra strain on the emergency services.
Will the cark parks be open?
The two small car parks at Cheddar Sharpham Road and Axbridge entrance will both be closed.
Can I still access the cemetery?
You can still access the cemetery by walking across the playing fields, through the gate near the skate park and into the car park adjacent to the cemetery. The reservoir car park will be locked at the outer gate - however the Parish council have the combination code to access the cemetery for funerals, maintenance etc.
Can I still access the reservoir for Cheddar Watersports/Angling Club?
Members of Cheddar Watersports and people booked on a watersports course, along with Cheddar Angling Club members, will be able to access the reservoir from the Axbridge entrance. Proof of membership or course attendance will be asked for.
What measures will be in place to affect the suspension of access?
Security on site as normal for this time of year. There will be extra signage and barriers up at the reservoir access points and the car parks will be temporarily closed.
Can you section off part of the reservoir for swimming?
Unfortunately, no, this isn’t an option currently. To be confident that everyone could stay safe would require a safety management system and we aren’t positioned to provide that. The local community club Cheddar Watersports operate on the reservoir through a carefully managed approach to stay safe. We remain open to sustainable proposals from the community for similar managed approaches.
Is closing the reservoir really necessary?
We have seen a really positive increase in visitors following the access rules this year, staying out of the water and being #WaterSafe. We’re very grateful to all those enjoying the site safely.
However, we do still have a concerning situation regarding a relatively small number of people attending the site with the intention of swimming. Our experience is that these numbers can quickly increase as the temperatures increase; potentially creating large-scale unauthorised gatherings and an unmanageable situation. Unauthorised swimming in the reservoir is not safe, and even more worrying when unsupervised young people and alcohol are involved. Extreme heat and the kind of unmanageable situations that could arise also puts exceptional strain on our officers and we need to protect them.
In summary, we just want everyone to stay safe during the exceptional heat period and not cause any extra strain on the emergency services.
