Wednesday 13 April 2016

Raglan Castle - A Picnic with a View

We are trying to get lots of use from our CADW membership so this week we visited Raglan Castle. Raglan Castle is on the A40, just a thirty minute drive from Cardiff. The castle was one of the last to be built, it was started in 1430 and was used mainly as a fortified manor house although it did see some action during the civil war. We were really impressed with how much castle remains.

Raglan Castle - A Picnic with a View. front of castle
Raglan Castle - Very Impressive 



We parked our car in the little car park in front of the castle and followed Bear through the gates.

Raglan Castle - A toddler running towards doorway
Bear is keen to get started


Castle's are always a bit tricky with a toddler so we didn't climb all the stairs or explore everywhere. Parts of the castle are accessible to buggies but there are a lot of steps so we left ours and wandered around. There were towers and underground rooms. Doorways to here and there. Windows giving us a glimpse of another room or a view. A great place for children to play hide and seek. Bear is too little to go and hide so we threw stones into the moat. 


Raglan Castle - Ruined walls, lots of windows and walkways
The Great Tower
Raglan Castle - bridge to Great Tower
Bridge across the moat to the Great Tower

Raglan Castle - inside, more windows and steps
Steps in the foreground lead down to the cellar


back of toddlers head looking into dark space, faint shape of cartwheel
What has Bear found?

Cartwheel with beer tankards and pump to fill them
Beer! Well done Bear.

Raglan Castle - spiral staircase with model books on each step
Bear found some old books in the library...
Todddler at cart wheel with a model of a fish and mirrors behind candles.
...and a fish being cooked by candlelight 
toddler on bridge over moat pointing
Where are the ducks Grandad?

green water in moat and Great Tower to the right
No ducks on the moat! Where have they gone?


The views from the castle are wonderful, I am sure that from the towers they are stunning. We could see across the fields to Sugar Loaf and Blorenge. Even the A40 is hidden although we could still hear the sound of the traffic.


Raglan Castle - view of sugar loaf through a window
Sugar Loaf


toddler sat in wooden cart with view behind
 Blorenge in the distance


It was a beautiful day, lots of sunshine so we sat at one of the picnic tables and ate our lunch. 



Back of toddlers head with view to the distance
Raglan Castle - A Picnic with a View

view across fields
Another View

Raglan Castle - Dark Skies approaching
Dark Skies approaching, time to go.


We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. It was a great day for a picnic although there is a cafe on site we didn't visit. I am sure there are toilets and baby changing facilities in the cafe but we were happy with the toilets in a portacabin and changed Bear in the car.

Do you know where the ducks have gone? Bear likes ducks.

*We bought our own CADW membership 

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