TINTAGEL CASTLE - ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO VISIT IN ENGLAND
If I had to make a list of the most beautiful places in the UK, Tintagel Castle would certainly be at the top of the list, along with all Cornwall area. On this peninsula, in the Roman period, a small village was located, later, in the medieval era, a castle was built, and nowadays it represents a tourist attraction where the ruins of both the village and the castle can be visited.
Tintagel Peninsula changed its shape over the hundreds of years, with the landscape changing due to external factors, especially sea water. Instead of the suspended metal bridge, which connects the two parts of the castle, in the past it was a natural passage, which collapsed.
In 2015, English Heritage, the site's management organization, invested £ 4 million in the construction of the suspension bridge, which in my opinion makes a relatively simple location, which does not have such a fascinating history, one of the most interesting tourist destinations in Great Britain.
VISITING TINTAGEL CASTLE
As I said above, the location is managed by English Heritage and if you are a member, you do not pay an entrance fee. If you are not a member, the ticket price is £ 16.30.
A free option to visit this location, although it does not involve visiting the ruins themselves, is if you choose to walk on the path to the right of the ticket office. It is considered a public path and is free. You can admire the castle on the beach and the Merlin cave, if there is low tide.
Whether you choose the free option or the one that involves visiting the ruins, book a few hours to visit this location and why not, bring snacks and drinks for a picnic and enjoy a picnic on the green grass with a special view, if weather permitting, of course😊. The scenery is absolutely beautiful, and the sea water has a different colour in Cornwall, compared to the rest of England.
Before planning a trip here, you need to make sure that the location is open, because in winter, if the weather is bad, especially strong wind, it is not open. Updated information about the castle, find here.
HOW DO YOU GET TO TINTAGEL CASTLE?
If you are coming from outside the UK, the nearest airports are in Oxford and London, which are about 3-5 hours from Cornwall, this location being quite far from any of the big cities in the country. So, the most convenient thing is to rent a car, especially if we take into account that there are many other absolutely beautiful locations, where there is no public transportation (I make this recommendation on the premise that you do not come especially to visit just a castle ☺️). If, however, only the public transport option is possible, to Tintagel, the village where the castle with the same name is located, there are buses that run regularly.
If you don't drive, but want to visit several locations in Cornwall and Devon and live in or pass through London, you can opt for a 5-day trip. I leave a link for reservations.
Once you arrive in the village with vacation vibe, there are few accommodation options, campsites, pubs, restaurants, pastries with traditional local products, but also enough parking spaces.
HISTORY AND LEGENDS OF TINTAGEL CASTLE
The Tintagel area has been inhabited since Roman times, when a prosperous community of those times settled here, having as main object of activity the trade with the Mediterranean countries, here being discovered different pots specific to those countries.
Hundreds of years later, in 1233, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, exchanged some property for land on the north coast of Cornwall, where he built Tintagel Castle. Richard also gave credence to the legend of King Arhur, who is believed to have been conceived in the cave of Merlin. Related to Tintagel is one of the most famous love stories, that of Tristan and Isolde.
Currently, the location is owned by Prince Charles, managed by English Heritage.
OTHER PLACES TO VISIT IN THE AREA OF TINTAGEL
Besides visiting the castle, in Tintagel there are other tourist attractions and I would say there are enough if you want to spend a day or even a weekend in the area: St Materiana's church, Barras Nose and the old post office.
If you like walking, then you should not miss a walk on the coast, there are several trails you can do, the most famous and spectacular being Glebe Cliff, with views of the peninsula on which the castle was built.
A little further, but in the same region, worth visiting: - North Tintagel Boulders coastal path; - Boscastle; - Pentargon Waterfall; - Trebarwith Beach; - Port Isaac; - Doyden Castle; - Polzeath Beach; - Roch Beach; - Harlyn Beach; - Bedruthan Steps;
WHERE TO STAY IN TINTANGEL OR NEAR BY: There are a few accommodation units in Tintagel, but being such a small town and so frequented by tourists, they tend to sold up quickly. I will leave you the ones that I consider the most interesting in Tintagel and some a little further from the town: - Beach Hut, which is an apartment-style accommodation, where you have a kitchen, garden, private parking and wi-fi. It is located in Tintagel; - Orchard Lodge is a house that can be booked entirely and has a capacity of 10 people. It has a garden, barbecue, private parking and Wi-fi. It is located in Boscastle; - 1 Jubilee Cottage is a house that can be booked all and has a capacity of 6 people. It has a garden, barbecue, accepts pets and has free parking. It is located in Tintagel; - Goose Cottage is a house that can be booked all and has a capacity of 4 people. It has a garden, sauna and outdoor hot tub;
CONCLUSION ABOUT TINTAGEL CASTLE:
As a personal conclusion, Tintagel was one of the destinations I did not want to miss in Cornwall. Somehow, I had much higher expectations. I had seen photos with the famous open door, overlooking the sea and I expected it to be something more left of the castle, not just a few walls. However, it is a destination worth visiting. You should only be lucky to have beautiful weather because the nature is gorgeous.
Other locations in England that I have visited and about which you can find out more information to inspire you for your holidays: Durdle Door, Howard Castle (Christmas destination), Holy Island and the disappearing road, Stonehenge, Bath or Bibury.
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