Tintagel Castle is an absolute must-visit destination in Cornwall that perfectly blends dramatic…read morenatural coastal beauty with deep historical and Arthurian legends. Every single step along the rugged paths offers breathtaking, panoramic vistas of the Atlantic coastline, creating an atmospheric magic that brings the mystical stories of King Arthur to life. While the visible ruins date primarily to the 13th century, the site served as an essential stronghold for the rulers of Cornwall as early as the 5th century, offering a profound sense of history. Because the terrain is highly demanding with steep stone steps and uneven ground, wearing sturdy hiking boots is non-negotiable, and bringing hiking poles is highly recommended to navigate the elevation changes. To ensure you do not miss this spectacular experience, be sure to book a timed-entry ticket in advance online through English Heritage.

If there is a MUST-Do in the area, then it's Tintagel Castle. From beginning to end a fantastic…read moreexperience. Booked the tickets online in advance, no line. Very easy and convenient. Free entrance for members. There's lots of parking in town, including the big lot in the center. An easy stroll away only. And a good chance to check out the town on the way. It was a stronghold at first, and then in the 1230s a castle here was built. Writer Geoffrey of Monmouth named it in his History of the Kings of Britain as the place where King Arthur was conceived. Location, history and legend makes this place a must-see for everyone. Amazing views from the clifftop, a dramatic bridge leading the remains. There is a nice trail on top, leading through the whole site. Including an amazing statue of King Arthur. It's just a great place to visit. The views, the bridge, the ruins. It is even dog-friendly. And if you can't walk down to the castle / bridge on your own, there's a shuttle service. Loved our visit. Don't miss out on it!

Quality/Quantity - Huge grounds, and sadly, we realized after leaving that we only walked half of…read moreit. Well, we have and will be visiting so many castles on this trip. Atmosphere - Several routes to the entrances of the castle, all of which take about the same time. We walked one route to the castle, and left with a different more scenic waterway route. Business hours are seasonal, see picture, Yelp, or website. It is best to check the website prior to going. But the walk to and from the castle is also good. Service - Good. Price - 18 pounds, not including a discount of almost 2 pounds when you show them you are from the cruise ship, see picture. Owner Suggestion - Congrats on your success since the 1540's.

Pendennis Castle is THE major historic attraction in Falmouth, and a must-see upon visiting this…read moresmall town on the Cornwall coast. Historically, the exhibits cover a period from between the reign of Henry VIII up to WWII, as Pendennis was still used as a military fort in the 1940s. In short: If you love cannons (And who doesn't!), you will want to visit this place! Also, you get splendid views of Falmouth Bay. The main castle compound is rather small indeed, and most of the "minor rooms" (like the quarter of the commandant) are essentially empty. No attempt has been made to re-create some of the furniture or objects to allow us a glimpse into how soldiers lived and worked during those days, which is what costs Pendennis Castle the fifth star in the rating, and even the printed information in the individual rooms is rather sparse. The main tower does feature a sizeable selection of historical cannons, and a (rather lame) black-and-white back projected attempt at an animation of how the soldiers were working the batteries. More impressive are the other military displays around the compound, and the fairly large grounds that you'll spend time walking in. These are mostly weapons from WWII, but there is another historic battery, too (some of the cannons are currently being restored). The area itself is a beautiful corner of Cornwall, and the views in and around the castle in themselves certainly merit a visit and the about UKP 10 you have to pay for them. The presentation is a tad old-fashioned, which also concerns the smallish gallery of barracks life, a building that also houses the rather lovely café with its nice outside seating area. All in all, Pendennis Castle makes a great day out for the family when the weather is good. A small shop features the usual souvenirs and you can also by a book-quality guide of the history of Pendennis Castle for a rather competitive UKP 4. There are no audio guides available. The staff were really nice and helpful when I visited, the atmosphere is very relaxed. See my pictures for a more detailed impression of the individual objects and attractions.

Came here in the late afternoon for a quick visit. Since we're members entrance was free. Our…read moreEnglish Bulldog was welcome on the site as well. The site is very nice and green. Very quiet when we've visited with only a handful of visitors. Surprising. Because even though not the biggest, it is a very interesting and beautiful castle. The big 13th-century round tower was built by Richard, Earl of Cornwall. You can climb up to the top to enjoy the views of the beautiful valley. The castle also served as prison and was also used as the base for the Cornish Royalist defence of the county. A very pleasant visit. Nice history, great surroundings. A small souvenir shop at the entrance as well. We enjoyed it. We parked our car at the nearby Westgate Street Multi-Storey Car Park and Coach Park. Only a few steps away.

This is a is a Norman motte and bailey earthwork castle on a high mound overlooking the town. It…read morewas once the administrative headquarters for the Earls of Cornwall who owned many estates throughout the region. It is thought that a castle was on this spot as early as 1067. In the 12th century a stone keep was constructed and then in the 13th century Richard of Cornwall held the earldom and made many alterations to the castle. After his death his son moved the administration to Lostwithiel which resulted in the castle's gradual decline in importance. It later became a prison for a time. Worth a visit if you are in the area, especially to see the views from the top. There is a nearby castle shop as well for souvenirs.

This here is a nice little old fort/castle. It's not big, but the location is really impressive. It…read morewas built in the 1500s as an artillery fort. It was even used during WWII. Nowadays you still can walk around on the grounds, explore the interior of the tower and walk along a short, narrow path at the coastline. There's not entrance fee even. From here you can get to Fowey easily by foot, or a short stroll down to the Readymoney Cove. We parked our car a bit east from here, on the National Trust carpark near the Coombe Farm. A very nice and easy walk with wonderful views of the coast. A great combination: A castle and a walk. Classic. All in all a very good visit.

Worth walking to if you are in Fowey, as part of a cliff top walk, it's near Readymoney beach. But…read morethere's not too much there for a special trip. Nice views though.

Tregenna castle is located in a fine position over looking St Ives. They offer extensive gardens…read more Here is some information about this hotel that I found on the Internet. Way back in 1774, Tregenna was built as a 12-bedroom private home for a wealthy Cornishman with a love for the sea. Samuel Stephens Esquire commissioned the build of the house from local granite, and the four castellated turrets and original glazed skylight with the family coat of arms can still be seen today. The house remained in the family until it was sold by their final heir, John Stephens, to a family of local bankers, the Bolithos, in 1871. The Bolithos acquired the house at the same time that Brunel was building the Great Western Railway from London to Penzance to serve the West of England. It was then fashionable for all the great railway companies to establish destination hotels by the sea. GWR discovered Tregenna Castle with its spectacular views overlooking St Ives Bay and decided to lease it from the Bolitho's in 1878, before purchasing it in 1895. With the help of local craftsmen, the original house was extended to include new function rooms, a restaurant, adjoining kitchens, and a hallway leading to the main reception area. Thanks to the exceptional quality of the work, and our show-stopping location, it wasn't long before Tregenna became the 'Jewel in the Crown' of the GWR hotels.

Did not meet expectations. I was thinking it would be much nicer. We spent 2 nights in a self…read morecatering apt. The restaurant and bar was fair but not exciting. The bed was truly awful. The gym had 3 old pieces of cardio equipment and a TV. The hot buffet breakfast was not good; the continental was OK. They could do much better on many levels.

We've stayed here a number of times. Sammie is a great hostess. The rooms are all very well…read moremaintained and were nicely updated. Breakfast is always a treat. The grounds are very beautiful and the peacocks add to this experience. It is not easy to find this beautiful castle, but it is worth the effort. Both my husband and myself are looking forward to our next stay at this lovely castle with Sammie and her mom.

Beautiful historical guest house with comfortable rooms, delicious food, set in the middle of a…read morewonderful estate. The house is still furnished with its original pieces and the guests can enjoy relaxed afternoons in its living rooms. The food is superb. Active guests can enjoy pleasant walks along the various paths in the property. Peacocks, deers, cattle and hares populate the fields around the house. And runners - especially those coming from London - will enjoy some good routes on the hills and the forest and will get a chance of breathing some clean air!

On the way to Lydford Gorge we passed this castle and had to stop for a look…read more A 13th Century prison. Reknowned as 'the most annoyous, contagious and detestable place within this realm' Notorious for harsh punishments.

A lovely Tudor estate in the English countryside, I have to admit that I enjoyed the outside more…read morethan the inside. The National Trust site describes the house as "festooned with tapestries," but that is an understatement. In some rooms they overlap on the walls and cover the doors making it both dark and a little claustrophobic. I definitely got a haunted house sort of feeling. The first room we entered in the main house was filled with interesting relics, including partial sets of armor, taxidermy and weaponry. The kitchens in these stately homes are always fascinating. But, the rest of the house, I found a little creepy (maybe it was the little windows/peepholes). It didn't help that the docents were a little terse. There are informational binders in all of the rooms, so you don't need to rely on them for information. My son's absolutely favorite part of our visit was Prospect Tower. Built as a folly prior to a royal visit, if you climb the narrow staircase to the top, there are lovely views of the countryside, River Tamar and aqueduct. The gardens are beautifully maintained and the Discovery Center down the hill at Cotehele Quay provides more educational opportunities and there is a Cornish ice cream stand. We ended up preferring our time at Buckland Abbey in Devon, but if you want to view tapestries and don't mind a little poltergeist or two, this is well worth the visit.

This National Trust property is offering quite a bit for its money. It has the main house in all…read moreits glory (tapestry galore I just say), with a great upper and lower garden. It also has a quay as well as a mill. We did it all and it took us some time, as each areas is very well presented and has a lot of interesting information. I especially liked the folks at the mill, who were very eager to explain the history and the workings of the water wheel powered mill.

During my stay in Devon and Cornwall, my most memorable visits were to several grand estates. This…read moreone was special because my family lives just down the road and it has some of the loveliest views of Plymouth across the River Tamar. You can visit the grounds (865 acres) for free, so my review is limited to that experience. For a fee you can visit the Mount Edgcumbe House and Earl's Garden. There is no garden like an English garden. This one was absolutely lovely since there were so many different and distinct areas as you rambled through the large estate. The manicured Italian and French Gardens led to the more rambling American Garden with a geyser in the middle. But really the most interesting for my son were the battery, with cannons, pointing out over the river. There is a Block House nearby that helps a child imagine defending the estate against all intruders.

One of the nicest places for a walk in the area with some great views. It's worth seeing the…read moreinteresting buildings within the park including the 18th century Folly, the Doric Thomson's Seat and the circular Milton's Temple. There are some lovely woodland trails to follow, many of which are suitable for everyone including wheelchair users. There are formal gardens too and the lovely Orangery and restaurant is well worth a visit.

The Citadel stands proudly overlooking Plymouth Sound. The views from it are amazing, you can see…read moreRame, Mount Edgcumbe, Jennycliff and Drake's Island. I went to a forces wedding here and it was incredible. The photos were simply stunning.