Tintagel Castle

Tintagel Castle

On this exposed clifftop and the small island opposite stand the ruins of Tintagel Castle. Tintagel is a place steeped in the myths and legends of King Arthur. Like all such myths, facts are hard to find, evidence is scant and supporters and detractors are equally convinced of the strength of their argument. But there's no denying that this place, on which a settlement has stood since at least Roman times, has an aura of mystery about it.

By the time Tintagel Castle was built by Richard, Earl of Cornwall in 1233, the Arthurian legend was well-established. And by Victorian times, the castle ruins had become a tourist attraction of such significance that the inhabitants of the local village of Trevena were persuaded to change its name to Tintagel.

The spot you are standing on is a walkway which connects the two parts of the ruined 12th Century castle. Immediately above you, at the top of the steps, is the mainland courtyard which was the outermost part of the castle. Follow the wooden walkway down, across the footbridge and up the other side to the the Island courtyard.

As you can see, exploring the site requires a lot of steep climbing and there's also a short walk down the valley from the village, where there is ample pay-and-display parking, to get here. A Land Rover service is in operation from April to October. The Castle site is owned and managed by English Heritage, which operates a visitor centre and exihibition as well as a shop.