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

Caernarfon or Conwy.

Arundel isn’t very medieval - only the keep is very old (Norman). It was remodelled a lot during Georgian and Victorian times.

Tower of London is possibly the best option as it will be easy to get to by public transport.

@occa , you can actually sleep in this castle. It is an amazing experience for adults and children alike. If you’re lucky, you will time your stay for the medieval feast which involves dressing up (from the castle’s extensive costume wardrobe) and sitting down for a three-course dinner of authentic-ish medieval dishes, plus a talk from a respected historian. My DD2 was three when we visited and still talks about it as one of the highlights of her life now she is seven. We got to sleep in a haunted room!

YHA St Briavels Castle is a venue with real wow factor that will amaze and inspire visitors of all ages. The castle is over 800 years old, with bags of character and remarkably well-preserved features throughout, and a magical charm that promotes social interaction and historical interest in equal measure.
The castle is a Grade I listed ancient monument, a rich piece of history and an inspiring location. Be transported back in time to Medieval world of King John and the Magna Carta within this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Lincoln Castle is fab, Magna Carter is there aswell as prison museum and as PP said, neighbouring cathedral.
Easily doable from Cambridge!

Not very big and also ruins but if ever you're on the on the south coast Porchester Castle is a nice walk round

You can stay in Caernarfon castle: https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/search-and-book/properties/bath-tower-4948/#Overview

Leeds Castle and Hever Castle- love both.

If you are in Cambridge you are in the middle of the Norman castle black hole. There's not a lot near that is more than a mound and remains of walls. Adding in the restriction of rail travel and things are even more limited. I'd give consideration to Lincoln as other have mentioned and also Newark (the former is Conquest, the latter from the middle of the next century). Both would, on my imaginary trip, require other sites to enrich the trip and with Lincoln you have the Cathedral and with Newark the Civil War Centre for example. What I found mindblowing about Lincoln was the battle of 1217, which you can follow around the streets and involved the forces of Henry III and the future Louis VIII of France.

If you teamed up with someone with a car, heading east on the A14 would get you to Framlingham. That has Conquest origins and a fascinating history in the Mary - Elizabeth - Mary QoS era. From there you can swing back via Hedingham. That has a fantastic looking keep, but I was underwhelmed by the experience of visiting.

Really interested in Norman castles? Wales and Ireland. More than a day trip though.

Dover for sure

So many wonderful castles mentioned here. We visited lots when I was a child in S Wales. As @MMBaranova said, Cambridge and Cambridgeshire is a Norman castle black hole.

Feel I have let DC down with lack of castle visits...time to plan...

I'm in the South West which is probably a bit of a hike for you - but my favourite castles are:

Donnington Castle, just outside Newbury. Free to go to, just a ruin but absolutely steeped in history. A favourite castle of Liz 1st and where she decamped to when summonsed to Queen Mary's court.

Wardour Castle - near Shaftesbury in Dorset. Again, a ruin but has arguably one of the best stories as to why it's a ruin (spoiler alert - badass feminist Lady left to run it whilst husband off playing soldiers in the English Civil War, held it against a siege for an incredible amount of time).

Sherborne Old Castle - a ruin again but you can visit the new castle next door. Again, steeped in history and Sherborne is a lovely little town.

Oh, and Corfe Castle. The most medieval of medieval castles. A ruin but a glorious one in a beautiful village with a steam train that runs to the seaside town of Swanage. Recommend using the park and ride service a stop before Corfe Castle, travelling one stop to the castle, visiting the castle then travelling on to Swanage.

Absolutely Dover.

Another one saying Dover. It's amazing. The castle is fantastic the war tunnels even better. Best day out in ages.

Agree about Lincoln Castle, the castle, prison and nearby cathedral are all great. And if you don't mind ambling forward a few hundred years in time, the Museum of Lincolnshire Life is interesting too!

Wales has the most castles per square mile in the world but loads of them are either in ruins or would be hard to get to without a car. caernarfon and Conwy are both great though...or as a pp said stay in cardiff overnight to do cardiff castle and you can get to Caerphilly within 10 mind by train as well.

Or a complete wild card option - Jersey Castle- can fly there cheaply and directly for a lovely holiday - you can sleep in the castle overnight and it's on a causeway so completely cut off from the mainland for lots of the day. Really exciting for kids (and me as a geeky adult!). You get there by walking during low tide or on a sea tractor! Also lots of history with the German occupation etc.

Scarborough castle is a fascinating visit with absolutely stunning views up and down the coast . You can do audio tours but we really like the in-person ones . Easily accessible by train via York .

Warwick is not good anymore, we went first before it was taken over my Merlin and it was so much better than 2 years ago.

For still intact ones:
Dover
Tower of London
Leeds Castle
Arundel

Ruins
Bodiam
Conwy
Caernarfon
The latter two may be out of the way.

Could you stretch for a weekend away?

Hever castle.

You can see Henry the 8th's bedrooms and even his boots. Plus there's the beautiful maze outside. Nowhere beats it for real history.

While I love Hever I wouldn't classify it as a mediveal castle compared to Dover and Arundel. If the OP wants moat and bailey and rampage, then Hever is not right.

It's more a larger manor house with really interesting history and things to see.

DH found this for you, op - www.cambridge-news.co.uk/whats-on/best-castles-near-cambridge-cambridgeshire-13090759

Bodiam castle is the most castley-castle I’ve been to. And I love a castle. It’s exactly what you think a castle should look like*

in your shoes (public transport) I’d get to Portsmouth. At Portsmouth you can do Southsea castle (boring but castley), the dockyard heritage stuff, and Portchester castle is a bus or one stop on the train ride. Then ferry over to the IoW, get yourself EH membership and go to Carisbrooke and (not a castle but a good day out) Osborne House.

*assuming that your ideas of castles are formed on beach holidays with buckets and spades

It’s not a ‘proper’ castle but have you been to Mountfitchet? You could get the train to Stansted and then a short taxi ride. Most kids love it there.

Conwy! Train station is very convenient for the castle (although it is a request stop!). Dover is also great.

Then ferry over to the IoW, get yourself EH membership and go to Carisbrooke

EH membership gets you a 20% discount on IoW ferry fares for foot passengers.

Although I’d be tempted to take the hovercraft from Southsea - the kids will love it.