Kids Brow

Article from: My Family UK

Castles always make for great family visits. The kids can charge about the battlements, and when the weather’s right, they’re the perfect picnic site.

Here are our Top 10 fun castles to visit: whether your kids are into exploring, fighting, or discovering their history, you'll all have a brilliant time.

1) Warwick Castle, Warwickshire

www.warwick-castle.co.uk

At “Britain’s greatest medieval experience” jousts, staged sieges, a working trebuchet, archers and falconers all bring the castle to life. Explore all over the grounds and buildings and learn about the noblemen and prisoners that its walls once held.

2) Alnwick Castle, Northumberland

www.alnwickcastle.com

At Alnwick, kids can train and qualify as knights, and take up the Dragon’s Quest, an adventure which leads whem through the Petrified Forest. The castle also boasts some spectacular views and some intriguing mysteries, and is a worthy part of any trip.

3) Bodiam Castle, Sussex

www.nationaltrust.org.uk

This late medieval moated castle is steeped in myth and magic, with its fairytale appearance and daunting turrets. More suitable for older kids, the castle itself if the main attraction here, although youngsters will have a brilliant time set free with toy swords from the gift shop.

4) Rock of Cashel, Republic of Ireland

www.heritageireland.ie

Packed onto the brow of a hill in Southeast Ireland, Cashel is a gothic masterpiece complete with spooky graveyard. By day, the castle's ruins dominate the town around it, and by night it is lit up against the sky. History is the main attraction here, with many monuments and relics remaining from the Middle Ages, most of which were demolished in England.

5) Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland

www.bamburghcastle.com

Resting above a beautiful - if windswept - sandy beach, Bambrugh Castle has been one of the UK's most popular historical destincations for decades. Holding both a Norman Keep and the Armstrong museum of Victorian Industrial Archaeology, the castle is a short walk away from village pubs and shops that are perfect to shelter in if the sea wind gets cold.

6) Ludlow Castle, Shropshire

www.ludlowcastle.com

A gem of a fortress aptly surrounded by an ancient black and white market town that completes the sense of going back in time. The history of the fort dates back centuries, when it was used to defend the heartlands of England against marauding Welsh warriors. There is plenty of open space to run around in, as well as interesting facts to be discovered and activities for the younger visitors.

7) Caerlaverock Castle, Scotland

www.historic-scotland.gov.uk

This unique triangular castle has defended this corner of Dumfries and Galloway for over 400 years. Today, more tranquil times have set it in the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve. The combination of peace and history make this castle ideal for a relaxing day trip.

Harlech Castle, Wales

www.cadw.wales.gov.uk

From the ramparts of Harlech visitors can see as far as Mount Snowdon, with majestic scenery towering all round. Exploring the castle and grounds casts Nature in a stand-off with the man-made: both have lasted the ravages of time, and Harlech the ravages of war too. A remarkably well-preserved cliff-top castle, often surrounded by mists, and presiding over some spectacular sunsets.

9) Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

www.eileandonancastle.com

Star of Harry Potter, The World is Not Enough and Highlander films, this castle is set on a small island in the middle of Loch Duich, surrounded by heathery mountains. The scenery is beautiful, and the castle unique, winning it lasting fame and prestige. See what all the fuss is about.

10) Tower of London

www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon

This exceptional monument is the key to discovering London, and intwegral to any tour around the city. Discover stories that shaped the lives and deaths of the royals, events which shook the country and conspiracies that ended in tragedy. The Tower also has a rich Roman heritage, and is a fascinating link between the ever-changin identities of England.

Further Information

For more great ideas about days out and family trips, see www.myfamilyuk.com. We've got a brilliant collection of reviews and articles on every aspect of family living, from planning the perfect day out to healthy snacks to pack. If you're looking for more great family ideas, check it out now!