Tintagel Castle is a remotely located castle commemorating King Arthur. It is to be reached by…read moretravelling a trail starting the Tintagel Village. The views from and around the castle are breathtaking. Must try next time you are visiting Cornwall.

While the castle is mentioned as a "must see" in every vacation guide, I believe it's very…read moreoverrated! There are bits of walls still standing. And the outlines of several buildings. But that is it. The views of the coast and rugged cliffs are magnificent! NOTE: The walk down and then up the stairs are not for the week of heart nor for the handicapped. My wife is on a cane. She did make it up the stairs and enjoyed the rugged views. But the castle-- you'll have to leave to your imagination. SECOND NOTE: There are land Rovers that will take you down the steep hill to the bottom for £2 pounds and for another £2 pounds take you back up. What no one mentioned is that if they had dropped us off half way we had a bit of a down hill drop and then a straight shot to the ruins! Over all, save your money and visit better castles in Devon and Cornwall.

Came here in the late afternoon for a quick visit. Since we're members entrance was free. Our…read moreEnglish Bulldog was welcome on the site as well. The site is very nice and green. Very quiet when we've visited with only a handful of visitors. Surprising. Because even though not the biggest, it is a very interesting and beautiful castle. The big 13th-century round tower was built by Richard, Earl of Cornwall. You can climb up to the top to enjoy the views of the beautiful valley. The castle also served as prison and was also used as the base for the Cornish Royalist defence of the county. A very pleasant visit. Nice history, great surroundings. A small souvenir shop at the entrance as well. We enjoyed it. We parked our car at the nearby Westgate Street Multi-Storey Car Park and Coach Park. Only a few steps away.

This is a is a Norman motte and bailey earthwork castle on a high mound overlooking the town. It…read morewas once the administrative headquarters for the Earls of Cornwall who owned many estates throughout the region. It is thought that a castle was on this spot as early as 1067. In the 12th century a stone keep was constructed and then in the 13th century Richard of Cornwall held the earldom and made many alterations to the castle. After his death his son moved the administration to Lostwithiel which resulted in the castle's gradual decline in importance. It later became a prison for a time. Worth a visit if you are in the area, especially to see the views from the top. There is a nearby castle shop as well for souvenirs.

Food was rapid, staff were very attentive, very clean, food was delicious, very well priced…read more Would definitely visit again.

First time visit after hearing the praises of Lanhydrock from my daughter for about 10 years…read more AND....not at all disappointed. Thoroughly enjoyed the tour, which took us about 2 hours. After this, we enjoyed the gardens upper/lower. Well laid out. The car park is approx 15-20 minute walk, mostly downhill, which means you've got an uphill struggle to get back. There is a "mini" taxi type service costing £1 per head each way, (well worth it), to the House. Car park charge to non-members is £3.00 all day, which is pretty good. The house is in good repair, and the history is very well recorded. Beware the Cafe.......as with most NT establishments it is franchised, extortionate and not good value for money....especially for eating and drinking in a shed...!! That aside, you will have a lovely day...

Wonderful if you can find it…read more This property is deep in heart of Devon and it took some doing to get there. Since it was originally constructed as a monastery in 1278, it is in a secluded location. There are many winding roads and narrow lanes en route. But every child spends time learning about the explorers and both of my boys were particularly fascinated by Sir Francis Drake. So when choosing which National Trust homes to visit, the Drake family home seemed like a perfect fit. It turned out to be my favorite. A large part of my (and particularly my son's) enjoyment was due to the educational aspect. Not just some dry lecture, they had a young guy on site in period costume discussing weapons. In particular archery and some of the great military campaigns against the French. Really cool stuff. Inside Buckland Abbey, there is also wonderful information about Sir Francis Drake. Videos about his voyage around the world and his victory over the Spanish Armada. He grew up nearby, then purchased the abbey once he became one of England's most successful explorers and a favorite of the queen. There is a lovely Elizabethan Garden and the barn is used for special events and exhibitions. On the upper floor, there are also outfits that the kids can try on to visualize another time and place. Like many National Trust sites, there is an on-site cafe. We skipped it in favor of seeking out a local tavern and that was a bit of a mistake. This location is truly remote and it was a challenge finding other local options. When we visited London, we saw a replica of Drake's ship, The Golden Hind, moored along the Thames. I only wish my boys were writing their reports on Drake this coming term.

This artificial ruin was built in 1747 and it replaced an obelisk which had stood there before. It…read morewas built using medieval stones which were salvaged from the churches of St George and St Lawrence in Stonehouse. An artist in the 1800s wrote that the Earl of Edgcumbe had his workers build one folly, blew it up, didn't like how it looked so had it rebuilt and blown up again. This time he was satisfied with the result!! It's possible to climb to the top to appreciate the views of Drake's Island, Plymouth Sound, Breakwater and Embryo Point. I used to go over to Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park quite often and have climbed the folly two or three times. That part of the park is free to ramble around (you need to pay to enter the House and Earl's Garden).

What a fantastic and interesting place to spend a couple of hours. Perfectly preserved by English…read moreHeritage, this 'relic' shows how our ancestors lived. We strolled around looking inside the buildings and deciding which rooms were which. Stones in the centre with worn areas where corn was ground. Fireplaces for cooking and heating. A wonderful visit and we were glad that we took the time. There would be difficulty for anyone with disabilities to visit the site but, if you can manage it, well worth a visit.

So you think your daughter's boyfriend looks like a creep, do you? His bleached blond hair gelled…read moreinto spikes, his druggy face studded with all kinds of objects, tattoos up the yingyang, bad attitude, ragged clothes, carries a war-ax... Well, he may simply be honoring the Berserker. Southern England is pockmarked with ancient Celt/Viking/Berserker settlements all protected by the English Heritage group (http://www.english-heritage.org.uk) maintained for their educational and historical significance. These ancient warriors fought friend and foe while in a heightened state of uncontrollable fury, a madness known as bärsärkar-gång (going berserk). These were some very bad-ass hombres who'd charge into battle with no armor, no guns and no mercy, just drugged-out ornery bastards with blades. They'd line their settlement walls with the heads of their enemies. Some would ride into battle on small, nimble chariots where they could swing off to stab at a foe and leap back on. As the myth goes, no weapons could harm these "shape-shifters". They were civilization's greatest nightmare and no one wished to be captured alive by any of them. With lemon-bleached hair spiked up with honey, henna tattoos from head to toe, wolf or bear skins their only protection, hopped up on magic mushrooms and alcohol, they were feared by all including their own kind. I don't think I could be their friend. But it's worth a look-see while in this beautifully scenic region of southern England and maybe you could take a second look at your daughter's boyfriend. He just might be showing respect to the ancients. Doubtful, but it's worth a shot. (photos up when I find them)

The entrance to Pencarrow House and Gardens is a mile long drive through dense woodlands, which…read morecontain amongst other things rhododendrons, hydrangeas and one hundred species of conifer. The car park is of a fair size, but would fill up quickly on a busy day. Adjacent to the car park is a shop and an area selling plants. The shop sells the usual gifts and paintings, but also serves as the location to buy tickets for the house and gardens. Be aware though, they don't take credit cards. The gardens are stunning, very well landscaped and looked after, and complement the impressive Pencarrow House - a perfect place for taking pictures. There are actually over 50 acres of garden, which include Italian and American gardens, however, we didn't get very far into them because of the unpredictable english weather. Guided tours take you around Pencarrow House, which take place every half an hour. For us this really brought the house to life, the guide was knowledgable about the furniture, paintings etc, adding in fascinating anecdotal stories in each room of the house. The house is still lived in to this day, and has recently recieved the license to conduct weddings ceremonies and receptions. Alongside Pencarrow House is the Peacock Cafe, appropriately named as peacocks and chickens roam free range through the area of outside seating in the courtyard surrounding the cafe. The cafe has a compact menu of dishes like salads, sandwiches and cake. All very tasty, but a little expensive for the size of the portions. But the cafe's setting more than makes up for it though. Pencarrow is a hidden gem in Cornwall and one we thoroughly enjoyed.

One of the most unusual buildings owned by the National Trust, this 16 sided property is a…read moretestament to English eccentricity! Built by two spinsters on their return from their grand tour in the 18th Century this building is bound to inspire and intrigue. The guides here are amongst the best that the NT has to offer and they will guide you through the myraid of tiny rooms with enthusiasm in buckets! The highlight of the tour is the shell room in the top of the property. This, for reasons of preservation, now has to be viewed through CCTV but you are able to control the camera and zoom in on anything that takes your fancy. The tea-room in the basement of the property is well worth a visit and the food of excellent quality. This is a small property and so groups can only be accommodated by arrangement. Bags must also be left in lockers at the start of the tour as the rooms are too small and fragile.

A bizarre building close to Exmouth that is well worth a visit! It's actually quite hard to…read moredescribe without going into huge detail. It is basically a quite bonkers designed house, packed full of a variety of rooms, which in turn are packed full of all kinds of bits and bobs. There is even a room that has the walls covered in shells (although you have to look at this through a video link) There are highly knowledgeable staff in almost all of the rooms willing to tell you in detail about the various parts of the building. The tea-shop in the basement is worth trying out - the soup we had was great. It's also worth pointing out that it gives you shelter from the elements if the weather is bad - once we stepped outside the wind almost blew us into the sea!

I live in north Devon and this is such a lovey walk/ adventure to find, it a little busy at times…read morebut normally people don't go all the way down so the walk is quite near the bottom

I love Clovelly, even at my age of ermmmm mumble 72. It is a passion that I will never use the Land…read moreRover and will walk back up with a few stops on the way for a refresher in The Red Lion and the New Inn. Trust me, if I can do it anyone can, just take your time and ignore the comments of the youngsters. Funnily, some of them were totally finished at the top. This village is full of history and more seems to come to light every time I visit. People complain about the cost but look around you, look at where that money is going. The upkeep is better now than it has ever been. Worth every penny in my estimation.