We were lucky enough to go to Wales with Visit Wales recently and had the pleasure of being left to explore Caerphilly Castle. We didn’t need to visit the castle, but having holiday-ed regularly in Wales as a child, it was someone that I had always wanted to take my kids. Even though it is the largest castle in Wales, I never went with my parents. Perhaps they just wanted to be different…
Caerphilly Castle is located in South Wales and not to far from the English Border. As well as being the largest castle in Wales, it is also the second biggest in Britain.
It is incredibly majestic and impressive…a stunning reminder of Norman architecture and ingenuity…
You couldn’t find a better place in Wales to introduce your kids to the joys of castle clambering, staircase seeking, and battlement bounding.
The information boards throughout the castle have been very well written, with the modern kid in mind. They even refer to the information superhighway and Norman castle world-wide web…
They have been penned with humour – always a good idea when trying to keep the attention of the little people.
There are interactive displays throughout the castle to keep kids attention too and these even include some examples of siege engines; the boards near these enable the kids to simulate the real things – without the fear of people losing limbs….
The most striking aspect of the castle is its leaning tower which was damaged by fighting in the civil war, according to the impressive video which is projected in the castle onto one of its round tower walls.
Lord Bute restored the castle in the 1950s and he is the figure that is seen holding the castle up today, with a little bit of help from Stuntboy.
Caerphilly Castle takes about 2 hours to visit with the kids, and costs £16.50 for a family of four. If you are a CADW member, the. entry to the castle is free.
A great day out in Wales with the kids; lots to see and do, and even more to talk about once you’ve been!
If you combine a visit to the castle with a day at Llancaiach Fawr, then you have a perfect weekend break with the kids in South Wales sorted! For travelling further afield, why not check out Portmeirion; Well I Guess this is Growing Up has some great ideas for why it’d be a good place to visit with the family.