Further Information
Come Rain or Shine
If the weather is not at it's best, or you just want to spot a few more things for your itinerary, then here is an excellent guide to help you.
Introducing Tintagel Castle
A taste of Arthurian legend
Situated on the North Cornish Coast with dramatic views over the Atlantic coastline, Tintagel is a place of myth where the legend of King Arthur was born. There are ruins of a 13th Century Castle that was built by Earl Richard of Cornwall as well as much earlier evidence of settlement dated to the 5th Century and it was likely inhabited well before that.
The headland is home to a beautiful array of flora and fauna and there are some wonderful vantage points from which to watch seabirds nesting and falcons hunting. Thanks to Dionne Jenkins for supplying the photos you see here.
Planning a day out at Tintagel Castle
Tintagel Castle is situated on an exposed headland on the North Cornish coast and is best visited in dry weather as there is little shelter. The castle is approached from the village of Tintagel by a reasonably steep track leading down to a small visitor centre near the foreshore. The site is run by English Heritage and you'll need to purchase a ticket. There are boarded walks and wooden and stone steps up the 200 feet61 metres or so to the site of the 13th Century ruins. From there you can walk up a further 50 feet15 metres onto the headland itself where you'll find the remains of earlier settlements. It's not a climb for the faint-hearted, though well worth the effort when you get there.
Take a Pasty and a bottle of water with you as it's a long way back for refreshments or facilities. There is an occasional Land Rover ferry service that will bring you back up to the village.
Other Local Features
Tintagel itself has a couple of places that we are told are well worth a look. The Old Post Office is a quaint and much photographed building and is now open for viewing by the National Trust. King Arthur's Halls has also been mentioned in despatches. Boscastle is few miles to the North and there are wonderful coastline walks across Willapark and Bossiney between the two villages. On route you may also find Rocky Valley that leads inland to St Nectans Glen.
