Castle review thread.

[Montegriffo]

I have been wanting to visit the major Edward I castles in North Wales for a while now so am exited to get the chance in a couple of weeks. I am heading up to the Lake District on Saturday to do the food at a 5 day juggling convention. This is in the far North West of England not too far from the Scottish border. Two weeks later I have a small Faery festival to do in Llangollen, North Wales. This gives me time to have a look around the Lake District (I've never been before), pop into Manchester to see a few old friends then head down to North Wales.
The big 5 castles are
Harlech

Caernarfon

Conwy

Criccieth

and my all time favourite British castle Beaumaris on Anglesey



These 5 castles are all in North West Wales within about 50 miles of each other.

edit
This castle is Appleby which is where the jug' con' is being held. More of a stately home nowadays and run as a hotel but it does have its 12th century keep intact.

[Montegriffo]

There are so many castles in Cumbria!!!
We drove past 3 in the last 40 miles into Appleby. Yesterday we went to do some food shopping in Penrith and the was a pretty little red stone castle right next door to the supermarket. Built between 1399 and 1437 . Only one wall is still complete but the footprint of the castle was all there.
On the way back we had a quick look at Brougham castle which we had spotted on the way in.
Much more substantial fortress from the early 13th century. This was a big castle located on a small hill besides a river. Important enough to have been visited by Edward I himself although it wasn't his own castle.
We didn't really have time to have a proper look around and there was a £6 charge to get in so I will have to go back after the convention to see it properly.

[C-Mag]

+1

Keep em coming Monte

[Ex-California]

So cool, especially coming from an area where there's barely anything from the 19th Century, let alone anything older

[Montegriffo]

+1

Keep em coming Monte

I haven't really started yet. Jugglers arrive this afternoon so I will be busy for the next 5 days but after that you can expect them thick and fast.
Will get the laptop out later and post some pics of yesterday's castles.
The scenery around here is pretty spectacular. The lake District was our first national park ( I think ) and is the most mountainous part of England. This is where Douglas Campbell died breaking the water speed record.
I come from the flattest part of the country where the highest point above sea level is about 100 m so it is especially pretty for me.

[Montegriffo]

Penrith castle

artists impression


Brougham castle

[Speaker to Animals]

This was the greatest castle of them all.

[Montegriffo]

Away with your Saracen heresy...

[Speaker to Animals]

What were they called in England?

[Montegriffo]

I don't remember there being any chain of video arcades. The best amusement arcades (what they were mostly called) were at the seaside resort towns like Great Yarmouth and were usually independents.