Harlech Castle - How to build a fortress with a view

After focusing on the South West of England in my first two blogs I am now switching to the West Coast of Wales and in particular the castle which jumped straight to my number one spot of favourite castles - Harlech Castle.

I visited Harlech in September 2013 staying a little further down the coast near Barmouth (which I am bound to write about at some point).
By going this time of year you risk the rain but, apart from another American tourist, the family and I had the place practically to ourselves. This gave some time to soak in the atmosphere. Believe me, this place has one special atmosphere.

Harlech Castle. A World Heritage Site in the shadow of Snowdonia

Built by Edward I between 1282 and 1289 the castle cost an absolute fortune comparing to today's money however, the best stonemasons were used to put together this imposing structure. 

I am not going to go deep into the history of the castle. There are plenty of other sites describing its purpose and past, what I want to do is try and give you a reason for visiting Harlech and the castle whether you are a signed up castle nerd (which I am) or someone who views history as a TV channel where you watch Pawn Stars or Swamp Men.

Let us begin with Harlech itself.

Finding a place to park can be tricky if the car park I found is full. If however you are really going to embrace the weather you won't find any problem out of season. The town itself is really very pretty. Full of your usual antique shops and B&Bs it is quite a pretty area to stroll through.

You can't really miss the castle as it really dominates the town. I may be stating the obvious here but you are talking to the man who struggled to find Tintagel castle on my first visit there.

Inside there are plenty of tucked away places to explore

The site is ran by Cadw which is the organisation charged with looking after heritage sites in Wales. They are in the process of building a new visitor centre so for future visits the trip will be enhanced further.

Like all castles, access is difficult. Certainly a walk around the ramparts is not for vertigo sufferers as there is no guard rail between you and a considerable drop.

But once inside you are struck by how imposing the structure is. 

Looking ahead you are treated to views out to the Irish Sea. The coastal vistas in this area are stunning and you will be treated to some stunning beaches when you venture down to the shore. It is however the view to your right that takes the breath away.

Right on the fringes of the Snowdonia National Park, the mountain view you are presented with is something truly special.

Views over to Snowdonia National Park from the castle

Within the castle you get the usual displays about the castle's history, construction and preservation. Something about being within the castle walls makes you want to just sit and be still for a while. I could give you the old cliches about 'if walls could speak' but being able to breath in the air within such an imposing structure does make you try and reconstruct in your mind what this place would have been like filled with troops during Edwards campaigns in Wales.

Inside the castle. Wish the lawn at home looked this good!

I really took my time slowly working my way from room to rampart. As I mentioned earlier, the ramparts are exposed with no guard rails so think twice about going up there if you a) have children, b) are unsteady on your feet or c) an idiot.

As you walk round you will be getting to know one of the finest examples of a medieval fortress in Europe. I absolutely love the fact that they have kept it simple and not tried to fill the place with facts and activities. Trust me, if you can take your eyes of the castle you will be looking out on some amazing views which will keep you in awe throughout your visit.

It really is hard to tear yourself away.

Look at the view, look at the castle

Well I had to tear myself away eventually. A hungry 3 year old needed refueling (by the way my daughter had so much fun jumping in puddles so who needs full on kids activities).

Back to the town and there are plenty of cafes to choose from.

What I will say is whether you choose to base yourself in or near Harlech or you are exploring the area, a visit to the castle is absolutely necessary. We stayed on a caravan park near to Barmouth and despite it being windy, wet and a little bit chilly we had an amazing time exploring the area.

So remember the mantra, there is no such thing as bad weather just the wrong clothes. If you want to get a World Heritage site practically to yourself then wait for those skies to leaden and head off to Harlech. 

Taken near to Harlech

For more information about visiting Harlech visit http://cadw.wales.gov.uk

I hope this has gone someway to inspire you to visit. I will be returning to the area on future blogs but for now.............Happy Exploring