A magical excursion to the legendary birthplace of King Arthur at Tintagel Castle
When we talk about legendary characters, they don’t come much bigger than King Arthur!
The legend and stories of King Arthur are so quintessentially English, they are so embedded in our history.
When visiting the castles and places associated with King Arthur there is a magical feeling of travelling through time. And one of the most atmospheric castle locations in the UK has got to be Tintagel Castle on Cornwall’s north coast.
There has been a castle perched on the jagged cliffs at Tintagel since at least the 5th Century. The legend goes that it was here that King Arthur was born and living in the cave under the castle was Merlin himself.
Over the years relics have been found, but like so much of history during the Dark Ages, it is only fragments that have ever been discovered. The rest is filled in with myth and legend.
We will let you decide if you think this is the birthplace of King Arthur when you visit the castle yourself.
Regardless of how much of the legend you believe to be true, we hope you will agree when you set foot in Tintagel that you are in a special place.
Firstly, the landscape is dramatic: huge cliffs topped with fantastic ruins, views out across the Atlantic Ocean, waves crashing against the rocks and ancient pathways to guide you around the remains of the castle and village.
Then, there is the energy in the air and the light – you get a feeling of the history and why a castle was sited in this amazing location.
We love to visit Tintagel Castle with our students all year round with each season bringing a different atmosphere.
On sunny days, we will find a perfect place to enjoy our picnic on the island and soak up the views and atmosphere.
On chillier days, we will wander back into the ancient town of Tintagel to wander through its brilliant shops full of magic and wizardry. Perfect for those who enjoy little magic trinkets, semi-precious stones or healing scents and candles.
Like most Cornish towns, Tintagel has a couple of great pasty shops where we can get a delicious Cornish pasty and a cake to enjoy. It’s a fun and quirky town to walk through with references to King Arthur all around.
Alongside our trip to Tintagel Castle, we also like to include an extra little walk to St Nectan’s Glen.
It is the perfect accompaniment to the visit to the castle and the town.
As you delve deeper into the ancient woodland, you can hear the waterfall in the distance.
It is such a special waterfall to enjoy. There is time to dip your toes in the healing water and take photos of the waterfall as it cascades down the hillside and through a stone hole.
Like Tintagel, St Nectan’s Glen is also full of legend and magic and people put their wishes on special ribbons next to the waterfall.
It is a perfect end to our day trip to Tintagel.
