What’s your favourite UK castle to visit?

[Littledidsheknow]

I love a castle (and a cathedral, but that’s another thread 😀) and since I’ll be holidaying more in the UK now I’d like to hear about your favourite castles.

Mine is Conwy! It’s big, has ramparts, walkways and towers and gorgeous views. 🏰

OTOH, Despite its dramatic presence, Edinburgh castle doesn’t do much for me.

I love the castle on Holy Island - it's so small you can imagine living there.

I used to love Leeds Castle in Kent but haven't been there in decades.

Berkeley castle.

Bodiam Castle in East Sussex is stunning with a very impressive moat! 😍

Just googled this one. Top marks for remoteness! It's on it's own island off an island off the Scottish coast! I wonder who they were defending against?

It was the home of the Clan MacNeil. When it was built they would have been concerned about other Scottish clans attacking them.

Dolbardarn and Dolwyddelan are different options in Wales. Built by Welsh princes and on a smaller scale than the major coastal castles but great settings. Carrickfergus castle also great setting in Belfast Lough.

Yup. That sounds right...I am just the same as your daughter - I did my dissertation on literary portrayals of England's Wars of The Roses Queens...

DD thought about doing something about the Six Wives in modern TV and film.

Caerphilly is lovely. Wales is crawling with castles. We live near Kenilworth, have been a few times. I really wantto visit Hever castle in Kent, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.

So many free castles locally that i resent paying!

So Skenfrith, Grosmont, White Castle, Wigmore and Bridgnorth.

Cardiff Castle is my personal favourite. It’s absolutely beautiful, so I’m surprised no one else has mentioned it yet!

Lots of grand rooms, a panoramic view of the city and a tunnel, which sheltered people during WW2.

Ooh I love a good castle, and when ds was little he was obsessed with knights so we went to a fair few!
Corfe, Harlech, Pembroke and Framlingham are all great for different reasons and I do have a soft spot for Warwick, although I get the ‘too Disneyfied’ argument 100%

I love Conway - I’d move there tomorrow if I could. Had a fantastic weekend in Northumberland at the start of the month and had a fabulous time at Bamburgh Castle- it was beautiful.

Tattershall

Bamburgh at Xmas! I visit with my mam each year but one for the kids would be Warwick.

Chepstow.

I was just about to post Conwy!

Saw it for the first time this year and OMG what a find. The walls, the towers, the age, the views.

11/10 for sure.

Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire where Edward 2nd got his come tuppence (or not)
Flint Castle, where Richard 2nd was held has a very unusual style. The town is bland, but has a medieval courthouse in the middle of the high street which is now a cafe
Pontefract Castle. Not much left, but was a central part of power pre the 16th century. Free to get in, some interesting activities for children. Has a good cafe, but the last time we popped in the cafe was closed. It's the castle where Richard 2nd was left to starve to death. There is an interesting church nearby that took a bomb in WW2, and has a really odd restructured entrance.

Another vote for Dunluce, spoiler alert - parts of it are made from hacked off chunks of The Giant's Causeway

I have a big soft spot for Hadleigh Castle. Not much of it left now but I go past it on the train every time I go in to the office and always look out for it. Still got loads of lovely parkland around it too.

I like Cardiff castle too. I also like some SW castles like Pendennis, St Mawes and Restormel. I loved looking round Castle Drogo, supposedly the last castle built in England or something.

I also like Bodiam and Herstmonceux in the South.

Lindisfarne. I agree. Much better than its neighbour Alnwick.

Another vote for the Hermitage, remote, bleak, brutal, dramatic and scene of much drama.
For the romance of a ruin I'd vote for Castle Tioram, though it's remote location at the end of long single track roads in the wild north west of Scotland means it's quite a trek. It sits on an islet and is only accessible at low tide. An American business man bought it and hoped to restore it but was refused permission - thankfully.

Gosh they keep coming, how wonderful!

Thanks for sharing your recommendations everyone, I’m glad to see so much love for British castles.

Rochester
Berry Pomeroy, home of the ‘white lady’ ghost
Bamburgh