How to visit Tintagel, King Arthur's castle in Cornwall (England)

One of the obligatory stages in our trip through cornwall, south west england, was Tintagel, an emblematic place in the legend of king arthur.

Indeed, in the legend surrounding this character from British literature, it is pointed out that Tintagel as the place where in the 6th century the King Arthur.

Y Tintagel It is also the place where he lived King Marcus of Cornwall, character's uncle Tristan of Leonis, protagonist of the literary work of the Middle Ages Tristan and Isolde.

But what are you going to find now when you go to visit Tintagel to the north of the cornwall region?

Tintagel Castle and King Arthur

You will arrive one small village which has become one of the Cornwall's top tourist attractions.

Once you park the car, you will have to go down a path at the foot of some cliffs, which will take you about 15 minutes.

And there you will see the small rocky island where the remains of Tintagel castle.

While historical origins of Tintagel suggest that it had an occupation in Roman times, and it is known that between the 5th and 7th centuries it was a strategic place in the maritime trade of the celtic kings of cornwall with the Mediterranean countries, the truth is that the enclave was abandoned from then on.

It was at 1138 when Geoffrey of monmouth write your book History of the Kings of Brittany where it refers to the famous King Arthur and Tintagel like his birthplace.

And the castle?

Contrary to what you might think, it is not a castle where said legend places the King Arthur, since it was built in 1233 by a brother of the king henry iii.

But yes, from then until today it has been linked to the aforementioned legend.

How to visit Tintagel Castle in Cornwall

Until recently to reach the remains of Tintagel castle You had to climb some very steep stone stairs that started on the path that took you to the foot of the hill where the remains of the castle are.

New Tintagel Castle Bridge in Cornwall

But since August 2019, the Tintagel bridge which from the top of the hill in front allows you to comfortably cross to the small island where said remains sit.

Furthermore, in order to protect the remains of the castle, a security system has currently been established. early booking to prevent a limit of visitors from being exceeded during the high holiday season and long weekends.

When after crossing the new bridge you pass under the small stone arch at the entrance to the castle grounds, you will find some remains that will barely allow you to guess the configuration of what was the fortification.

Take a leisurely stroll through the meadows that open at the top of this island, and the visit above all will allow you to enjoy the excellent panoramic views of this area of ​​cliffs of the cornish coast.

It is easy to guess that in winter this is an area very battered by winds and storms, but if you are lucky enough to visit it on a sunny day, as was my case, you will have a feeling of placidity and it will be easy for you to imagine yourself in that enclave. the characters of the legend of king arthur.

As a curiosity before leaving the Tintagel village, you can visit the old post office, a small stone house from the 14th century, which will allow you to see the interior of a real medieval period house.

Tintagel Castle opening hours

The Tintagel Castle visiting hours They are, in summer, from 10 a.m. to 18 p.m., with last access one hour before closing.

In winter the castle closes at 16 p.m., and in spring and autumn, at 17 p.m.

Tintagel Castle ticket prices

The ticket prices for visit Tintagel castle They are, the general, 15,70 pounds, children from 5 to 17 years old, 9,40 pounds, and seniors +65, 14,10 pounds.

These prices are those applied to the recommended advance purchase of tickets, and do not include the voluntary donation that you can make.

Map: where it is and how to get to Tintagel

Tintagel is in the cornwall region, two and a half hours by car, southwest of Bristol, and four and a half hours from London.