Aurochs — the massive wild ancestor of modern cattle, standing nearly two meters at the shoulder — ranged across the postglacial landscape.

Brown bears and wolves were present.

Beavers colonized the rivers.

The Mendip Hills, where Cheddar Gorge is located, offered a specific combination of resources: upland plateau suitable for hunting, the limestone gorge itself with its water source and cave shelter, and access to the lowlands and river valleys to the north and south.

The limestone geology of the Mendips meant that water flowing through the hills emerged as springs — reliable water sources that were particularly important in a world without wells or water storage infrastructure.

Cheddar Man and his community would have moved through this landscape according to seasonal rhythms: to the upland hunting grounds in summer, to the valleys and lowlands for winter shelter, to specific locations for specific resources at the times those resources were available.