Follow in the footsteps of the hero King Arthur and learn about the history of this amazing location…
King Arthur at Tintagel Castle - step back in time with us
Students of all ages love immersing themselves in the legends and history of this amazing place.
Crossing the bridge to Tintagel Castle is like travelling back in time…
The magic of King Arthur
The legend and stories of King Arthur are so quintessentially English and draw in visitors from all over the world. One of the most atmospheric locations of Arthurian legend 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. Not only this, but Merlin himself lived in the cave under the castle!
We have been visiting Tintagel Castle for many years with our students. We particularly like the photo at the top of this blog – this was from our very first Summer School in 2018.
When we visited Tintagel with this group, the new bridge access to the island hadn’t been finished yet and so we had to scale the steep steps on and off the island!
Learn more about the history of King Arthur on the English Heritage website
Tintagel's incredible location
The landscape in this part of Cornwall is incredible, with its dramatic cliffs and views out across the Atlantic Ocean.
Here we can explore the fantastic ruins of Tintagel, following ancient pathways that guide us around the remains of the castle and village.
One of the things we love to do with our students when visiting Tintagel Castle is to enjoy a picnic on the island while soaking up the views and the atmosphere.
As well as visiting the castle, we also love taking students for our guided coast walks along the ancient coastal trail from Tintagel to Boscastle.
If you are interested in walking on the South West Coast Path this magical section of the path is not to be missed.
Find out more about our Walking Tours
Spending time in the town of Tintagel
After our visit to the castle, we walk 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.
Tintagel has several fantastic cafes where we can get a delicious Cornish pasty or a cake to enjoy. It’s a fun and quirky town to walk through with the spirit of King Arthur all around.
King Arthur's Great Halls
To really understand the history of King Arthur and the knights of the round table, we include a visit to King Arthur’s Great Halls as part of our day exploring Tintagel and the castle.
Particularly for our Junior Summer School students, they love listening to the stories that surround King Arthur and then exploring the great halls, with their amazing stained glass windows and round table.
It’s always great fun choosing a favourite knight and drawing their coat of arms!
This interactive experience really adds to the magic of the day.
Exploring the local area
Alongside our trip to Tintagel Castle, we also offer an extra little walk to St Nectan’s Glen. It is the perfect accompaniment to the visit to the castle and always a favourite for adults on our Language Experience programmes
The route takes us through the ancient woodland toward’s St Nectan’s waterfall.
Here, we take time to soak in the atmosphere of this special place. You can 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.
Learn more about St Nectan's Glen
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