The UK is a country of cheese lovers, happily consuming around 700,000 tons of it every year according to the British Cheese Board. We also produce several irresistible and unique kinds of cheese that are loved all over the world. So, if you’re crazy for cheese, take your palate on the journey of a lifetime with these top cheese destinations in the UK!
Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company, Somerset
Cheddar is a national favourite and is the most exported cheese by a long way. Head to Somerset to discover the origins of this hard rich cheese that really packs a punch. At Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company, you can watch the cheese being made along with a video showing the whole process from start to finish. The best part, of course, is that you will get the opportunity to try all the different varieties of cheddar they produce such as Oak Smoked Cheddar, Cheddar with Onions and Tomatoes and cheddar that is matured for 30 months. While you’re here make sure you visit the nearby caves at Cheddar Gorge where the cheese used to be matured – a tradition which has been revived in recent years.
Cheese production at The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company
Wensleydale Creamery, Yorkshire
Known for its crumbly texture, Wensleydale is hugely popular and a staple at summer picnics, especially the variety with cranberries. We owe this delicious cheese to French Cistercian monks, who settled in the town of Wensleydale in Yorkshire during the 12th century. The first creamery in the area opened in 1897, so this area is steeped in cheese heritage. Today, Wensleydale Creamery is like a wonderland for cheese lovers, complete with cheese-making demonstrations and interactive games for kids. To top things off, you can try all the best varieties of Yorkshire Wensleydale paired with specially selected local produce.
Visit Wensleydale Creamery to try some of the UK’s finest Wensleydale cheeses
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Monkland Cheese Dairy, Herefordshire
Are you a fan of artisan cheese? Discover Monkland Cheese Dairy’s own produce as well as a selection of other cheeses from small producers. The best part about Monkland Cheese Dairy is that you can get stuck in! Book a Cheese Experience day and make your very own cheese from scratch. Spend the day learning all about cheese making and enjoy a delicious ploughman’s lunch as part of the experience. Your baby cheese will remain at Monkland for maturing and when it’s ready it will be posted to you!
Other destinations in the UK for cheese lovers
If you’re less interested in the making process and more into the eating part, these stores will have your taste buds bouncing off the walls…
Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival is a celebration of British cheeses in all their various forms and flavours. It takes place every year in September and producers from all over the country come to promote their delicious products.
Visit Sturminster Newton Mill while you’re at the Cheese Festival
Cheese Society, Lincoln Born from a passion for cheese in 1997, this family-run business is half shop half cafe. The menu is entirely cheese-based and the shop has cheeses from far and wide with something for every taste.
La Fromagerie, London Visiting London? Don’t miss this award-winning cheese shop with three locations across the city: Highbury, Marylebone and Bloomsbury. Expert cheese-mongers help you navigate the vast range of products sourced from small artisan cheesemakers worldwide.
