Tintagel Castle — Attraction in England

Disabled Access Review. Obviously, medieval castles were never built in accessible places, that goes without saying. Therefore, this review is NOT about the general access.

The footpath to the castle is directly off the main road through Tintagel. It is immediately EXTREMELY steep. I have a really rugged sports electric wheelchair (Mountain Trike) with hydraulic disc brakes and i was struggling to stop from tipping forward going down the hill. My husband has guessed that the hill was a 1 in 4 or 1 in 3 (and he's good at hills)! We could have bought a ticket at the top of the hill but the assistant from English Herritage said there was also a ticket place at the bottom of the hill before the castle. Thankfully we decided to buy at the bottom. Once at the bottom of the hill the path splits left and right. The right-hand path goes further down to the cafe, shop, toilets, and exhibition. The left hand path raises upwards again, but not as steep, but the first section i could see also has a significant camber down the cliff. I decided not to go further, partly because that would be £24 for just a few hundred yards of path and then turn around and come back. You can get over the bridge and to the "castle". The castle is nothing more than a few stones on the ground and is very small in area. You CANNOT reach the Statue/Sculpture of the Knight as this is further up the hill and just over the brow on to the other side, it is via very steep steps no matter which route you take. The brochure states that you have a timed ticket slot to go to the castle entrance, but "if you're here earlier you're welcome to visit the cafe, exhibition, shop and beach". That would mean going all the way back along the path with the camber to the fork in the paths and go all the way down another huge hill to get to the cafe, once you reach your time slot you have to climb/wheel and huge hill to the fork, back along the path with the camber (climbing upwards again) to get to the bridge (which is completely unrealistic) (in...

Well after reading all the reviews I was feeling nervous at how treacherous the paths and the walking would be ... well it wasn't as bad as the majority made out i can tell you. If you're able to walk you'll be fine!! It was a steep slope and hillside paths to the bridge, and then all round the ruins were rough pathways. That being said if you've got little ones i'd keep a tight hold or have them on reins as there are some sheer drops. There were plenty of "keep to the pathways" signs, and plenty of EH staff to police that, and policing making sure there was no leaning on walls!! There's a cafe, toilets, a shop and museum. The way back takes you down plenty of steps, past the cove, before the steep hill walk back. Interesting point for those needing it ... the disability bus didn't go right back to the start and left people with steep hill climb to do .... i did wonder what the point of that was! The views are lovely, there's no doubt, but to be honest, i found the visit rather underwhelming; any coastal walk near here would have offered the same views, and would save you the steep fee to go in. The ruins, really are ruins .. barely anything left, and i thought EH could have done much better with interpretive boards, which were severely lacking. Probably wouldn't return. Highlight of my visit ... stunning views and lovely King...

Tintagel Castle is an unforgettable experience and one of the absolute highlights of our Cornwall trip.

The location is breathtaking, perched dramatically on the rugged coastline with waves crashing below.

Walking across the footbridge feels like stepping into another world, and the views from the top are simply stunning. The mix of history, legend, and incredible scenery makes it a must visit for anyone exploring the area.

Practical tips: definitely buy your tickets in advance.

Public transport to Tintagel is quite limited, so plan your journey ahead. We took a taxi from Bodmin Parkway station (around an hour’s drive), and it was smooth and convenient.

The village itself is lovely too, with a few great cafés and shops, perfect for grabbing a bite before or after exploring. Wear comfortable shoes as there are some steep paths and steps, but the effort is rewarded with jaw-dropping views and an unforgettable sense of history.

A magical place that’s worth every bit of planning and travel time we would go back in...