Best castles to visit

[occa]

I'd like to take 12 and 15yo DC to visit a "proper" (medieval type) castle this summer. We're in Cambridge and I don't drive, so somewhere within easy-ish reach by train would be ideal.

Warwick looks amazing and you can camp in the grounds, which is very appealing, but it's a bit of a pita to get to (have to go into and across London then out again). Could anyone recommend any other good options?

TIA

Warwick Castle has a huge marketing budget but is pretty grim (it's full of ye olde merchandise stalls). Kenilworth Castle is just up the road. It's a ruin but they have great re-enactment days and it is much less Disney.

Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight is amazing, but probably even harder to get to!

We also love Raglan Castle in South Wales.

I think you have plenty to choose from but if you are ever in North Wales they have 24 castles you can do in a weekend
http://www.donthibernate.co.uk/24-castles-of-north-wales/

Conway is great I feel the walls are better than the castle and free too, Cant think of another medieval walled town still standing thats in such a nice setting?
http://www.donthibernate.co.uk/conwy/

I wouldn't call Warwick Castle grim but it is disneyfied and you can spend a lot of money on extras.

If you have a long weekend I would think seriously about Carisbrooke on the Isle of Wight
It's 4 hours on the train to Portsmouth. I would have a day in Portsmouth and visit the Dockyards and see the Mary Rose.
Ferry is 20 mins from Portsmouth Harbour over to Ryde. Public transport very good on the island. Lots more time to over there if you have time. Osborne House is a good day if the children are in to history. My son was particularly fascinated by Queen Victoria's shower and loo !

I grew up in the shadow of Castell Coch. At weekends it was a toss up as to whether we would walk to Caerphilly Castle or Cardiff Castle. Glorious times. 💕

Recently did a load of the North Walian castles which are equally spectacular.

So I also vote for Wales (although it’s a pain to drive to Cambridge from here so no idea how train travel would be).

We're booked for Warwick at the end of August and staying the lodges in Knights village. Ridiculously childishly excited about it, they do medieval feast and knights training for the kids in the evening.

I love driving down the bit of the M4 where you can see Castell Coch tucked in amongst the trees!

Agree,

Leeds Castle has the best maze anywhere, ever.

Me too. It will always be home.

Caerphilly is amazing, I used to live very close to it. It has also been used a lot in Dr Who (there was a TARDIS on the tower for a while). Castell Coch not a real castle but very pretty and Cardiff good too. Raglan is another good one, although a ruin.

Cambridge to Brum on the train and change for Cardiff. Cambridgeshire is sadly lacking in castles (and hills). I miss the castles, hills and coast of South Wales (Cambs resident for 20+ years).

Its very real for Tongwynlais folk!

@OverTheHillAndDownTotherSide

I was very disappointed when I was a child and discovered it wasn't medieval..but I did have a birthday cake shaped like it once.

Swansea and Gower - Oystermouth, Woebley and Oxwich Castles which are visitor attractions. Ruins Pennard, Swansea, Loughor.

I owe my enormous quads to that hill!

And the cake is a rite of passage! :D

Castle Rising isn't far. Dunnottar a little further.

I would say Dover castle is the best
that and the white cliffs experience it is a great day out (whole day as well)

I love a castle.
I grew up in Lincoln - the castle is lovely, recently refurbished but not as tourism focused as Warwick and the cathedral is right opposite too. It is on top of the only hill for miles, but there’s a bus, or there’s a brilliant old fashioned sweet shop called Goodies at the bottom of the hill and I reckon a few purchases in there would fuel a walk up (the imaginatively named) Steep Hill.

Warwick Castle is impressive, but quite expensive. Beautiful grounds, and the Zog trail and horrible histories maze are lovely for kids if they’re still there. I didn’t feel like I learnt much about the history of the area, but maybe that was because DC were so keen on the Zog stuff.

Colchester Castle is probably better for age 7 plus - lots of interesting history displays that my kids were just too young to engage with when we went. I had no idea Colchester has such a fascinating history. There’s also the zoo if you wanted to combine it with something else for a weekend trip.

Corfe Castle is lovely, it’s a ruin, but incredibly impressive- took six months and a lot of gunpowder to bring it down! The village is pretty, and there’s a heritage railway that runs to Swanage so you could combine a castle and the seaside.

It's a shame you're nowhere near Scotland, there are castles everywhere!

Broughton Castle

Was at Oxwich castle yesterday, it's closed but don't know how long for.
I always liked Goodrich and Raglan when I visited my GP. Chepstow castle is good as well
We went to Carew castle last week, it's small but we love wandering round a ruin

Another vote for Lincoln ( change at Peterborough quick & easy journey!)

I like Hever castle as well

Dover Castle is our all time favourite. The war tunnels are brilliant too and you can stay on site via English Heritage although it's very pricey.

Colchester is close to you. Or Castle Hedingham, but you would probably have to take a train and a bus.