The legends of Tintagel are clearly captured in this striking figure. It is an imposing statue and one to be viewed from every angle. It is purposely ambiguous evoking the image of the historical kings of the Britons and King Arthur without being clear who it really is. It is called Gallos, which means ‘power’ in Cornish. There is a bronze sculpture of a hooded figure clasping a sword at the north west tip of the island. When he heard the Duke had been killed he persuaded Merlin to use his magic and disguise him as the Duke so that Ingraine slept with him and Arthur was conceived. Arthur’s father Uther Pendragon was obsessed with the Duke of Cornwall’s wife Ingraine. King Arthur is believed to have been conceived here. The legend of King Arthur came from 12th and 13th century literature. All of these have filled the imaginations of those who love stories for hundreds of years. King Arthur, excalibur, the knights of the round table and Merlin. Around it are grass covered foundations which would have been small medieval dwellings. The remains of a small chapel reveal a small simple building. Even though there is little left of many of them, the vast scale of the castle is clear. Low stone walls and are evidence of the various buildings and rooms which once existed within the castle walls. Take time to absorb all that has gone before and see it through the eyes of those who have gone before you. Listen to the clatter of horses hooves as knights and noblemen arrive in the courtyard, and watch as ships approach in the distance, laden with sweetmeats and exotic fruits from foreign lands. Feel the swish of cloaks and the brush of tunics as the former inhabitants sweep past you in the great hall. Make your own path and create your own magic as you meander amongst the ancient ruins and drink in the same views seen by those who inhabited the castle during its medieval period. I would suggest ignoring what everyone else is doing and find your own way. The bridge allows visitors to follow in the footsteps of Richard of Cornwall as he left the gatehouse and made his way to his more private island courtyard.Īs with all ‘tourist’ places it might be tempting to follow the crowds, take the same photos as everyone else and come away feeling you have ‘done’ Tintagel. Prior to this, access was via a hazardous set of steps which proved challenging. The views across the castle and on to the sea and rugged North Cornish Coastline are sublime.Īs you enter you will see that the Castle is now partly on an island which is accessed by a bridge erected in 2019 to allow easier access. From the moment you step inside the gates of Tintagel Castle it becomes clear this is somewhere very special. The walk is a foretaste of what is to come. The approach to the caste is via a steep lane which leads from the village of Tintagel to the entrance and ticket office. Today the remainsof the castle are owned and maintained by English Heritage. In the 13th century, a castle was built here by Richard, Earl of Cornwall. Tintagel was the setting for the legends of King Arthur. After Tintagel Castle was abandoned, Medieval writers used it as a place for stories of kings and heroes. Since then it has been used as a royal citadel and trading port. In the early Middle Ages this stretch of coastline was known as the Cornish Kingdom of Dumonia. Tintagel is a place where truth and legend are combined. I graciously deigned to admit the cycling idea wasn’t such a bad one after all. He even resisted saying ‘I told you so’ when we saw the limited amount of car parking. After my husband had persuaded me not to ditch my city style bicycle in the nearest skip things soon improved. On arrival, my legs were burning, my stomach was doing somersaults and I was feeling a little hot and bothered to say the least. As someone who mostly cycles around the reasonably flat streets of London, the hour long journey felt mostly up. Unsurprisingly in Cornwall, the journey was mainly up and down. It may have felt especially steep when I visited, as against my better judgement my husband had convinced me the best way to get from Camelford where were staying to Tintagel was by bicycle. The ascent by foot to the entrance to Tintagel Castle is a steep one.
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