England 2023 Tintagel Castle

Waking up in Newquay* gave us a burst of energy. Our hotel Porth Veor Manor Hotel was situated just steps from Porth Beach and the view from our top floor room was spectacular (when it wasn’t foggy that is). I had chosen this hotel for this reason (and the ample parking!) Porth Veor Manor is located 1 mile from the town of Newquay which guaranteed us a quiet nights sleep but put us only a 5 minute drive from the hustle and bustle of the busy tourist town. 

One thing I haven’t mentioned yet is how much Cornwall reminds me of California, and specifically the central coast of California where I was born and raised. For those familiar with the area Newquay is like a blend of  Morro Bay, Cayucos and Cambria. It was a familiar mix of locals and tourists, surfers and retirees. Passing surf shop after surf shop, trinket stores selling magnets and art galleries with seascapes, I seriously wandered the streets and forgot that I was in England. 

Surf shop in Newquay that of course every teenage boy needs to buy a hat form

Art gallery in Newquay

Favorite souvenir 

Daniel’s Newquay souvenir 

That morning we grabbed a quick breakfast and set off for Tintagel Castle, the Arthurian ruin of legend located on the edge of a cliff overlooking the turquoise sea. 

The hour long drive winds through narrow countryside roads where the speed limit rarely exceeds 30 mph. So many of the main roads in England are narrow lanes with low speed limits. We realized pretty quickly that getting anywhere in Cornwall was going to take us twice as long as we anticipated. Due to this we had to cut out about half of the things we had planned on doing on this particular part of the trip. We’re determined to go back and pickup where we left off on our next visit. 

After a few white knuckle moments of playing chicken with the cars coming opposite direction we finally pulled into the car park and laid eyes on the charming village just steps from the castle itself.  

Tintagel. What does that word evoke for you? Maybe nothing. Or maybe like me, it makes you think of magic, enchanted swords, mysterious caves and romantic but forbidden love. I made the mistake of thinking everyone had heard of Tintagel and it’s mystical castle on an island. It’s times like these where I realize some of my interests are quite niche. I’m sure everyone has heard of King Arthur and his knights of the round table, but how many know of Tintagel and its connection to the mythical King? 

If we want to get dreamy then Tintagel *is* linked to legend. It is said that King Arthur was conceived at Tintagel, which is what it is now most famous for, but in the medieval period the significance of Tintagel was linked to the tale of Tristan and Yseult**. A brief synopsis from Good Reads for those not familiar with that story:

“A tale of chivalry and doomed, transcendent love, The Romance of Tristan and Iseult is on the most resonant works of Western literature, as well as the basis for our enduring idea of romance. The story of the Cornish knight and Irish princess who meet by deception, fall in love by magic and pursue that love in defiance of heavenly and earthly law has inspired many artists”. 

I am thankful to my great-aunt Margie for giving 18 year old me an old paperback copy of The Romance of Tristan and Iseult, deepening my love for Arthurian legends and the pre-Raphaelite paintings that often accompany those stories. 

The walk to the ruins takes you down a steep hill past little waterfalls and black slate dotted with hearty plants growing defiantly out it. The path meanders and takes you directly to the site or allows you to branch off down to the cafe and the all important restrooms. When you think of Tintagel I want you to think of stairs, steep climbs and a bouncy cantilever bridge. 

This picture doesn’t do justice to how steep this hill actually is

A tenacious plant growing out of the slate

View of the bridge and the island

Speaking of that bridge- it is the first thing you see after passing the gatehouse. For those afraid of heights this is not the only way to get to the island, but if you choose the alternative you will be descending and ascending 148 stone and wooden steps. Tintagel is a work out! We arrived in jackets and left in our shirts, hot from all of the physical exertion. 

This is where I’m embarrassed to say that my fear of heights was less than my fear of the work out I’d get on those stairs. We had already come down a steep hill and then up and down the switch backs to and from the restrooms. My covid ravaged lungs were beat. There is no way I had the physical and cardiovascular capability to climb those stairs. I now know that because of this we missed out on Merlin’s face carved into the stone beside his cave. The beauty of having family in a place you long to return to is you can go back and see all of the things that you missed. 

So across the bridge we ventured.  My husband who also has a fear of heights chose to hold the railing as we crossed, but for me i needed to walk down the center of it so I couldn’t see how high up we were. One thing to note, because it is a cantilever bridge there is some small movement to it- I’ve since been on bridges that move far more, but at the time my heart was in my throat. 

Once upon a time the island was connected to the mainland by a land bridge which collapsed into the sea sometime in the 13th or 14th century- the current bridge wasn’t built until 2019, so prior to that visitors had to cross a wooden draw bridge which sounds as though it wasn’t well maintained and didn’t last long. By the 19th century that bridge was gone and the local vicar commissioned the current stairs to be carved into the cliff and a low short bridge to be added, which was eventually rebuilt in the 1970’s. Visiting Tintagel prior to 2019 was a precarious endeavor to say the least, and not a place I would have liked to navigate in wet weather. 

When I think back on Tintagel and what my first impressions were the word that comes to mind is magical. It’s so hard to say if it’s because I’m influenced by the myths and legends attached to it or because the spot itself just feels otherworldly? The water along much of the Cornish coastline is a mesmerizing turquoise and up until that point we hadn’t experienced it yet- the stormy weather had churned up the sea making it a dull grey with just a hint of that turquoise glory. But that day standing atop the rocky headland looking back towards the mainland my eyes found the delight of a beautiful waterfall cascading into that stunning blue green sea. I hadn’t expected to be so moved by the location, but I shouldn’t have been too surprised. My active imagination can transform any place with a bit of beauty and magic into a storybook setting. Looking back on the mini vlogs I did of that day I was a broken record just saying again and again, “This place is just stunning”.

Using the guidebook to take us on the journey of the history of the headland we wandered the many different levels representing the different time periods the settlement was active. Very little remains of the actual buildings so a good imagination and some artistic renderings are needed to see it as it once was. For me Tintagel is all about emotions- what does this landscape provoke in you? How does it make you feel to look at the coastline stretching before you for as far as your eye can see? It’s a romantic landscape and I can see why people visit multiple times.

As we finished up our time at the castle I made it a priority to find the large bronze sculpture called Gallos. This 8ft tall sculpture of a crowned King sits on the north western tip of the island. Commissioned by English Heritage in 2016, artist Rubin Eynon created a ghostly figure meant to represent the history of the castle as a stronghold of the Cornish kings that used the castle as their summer residence. English Heritage wanted  a sculpture that gives the viewer the power to make their own interpretation. For me I choose King Arthur but it could just as easily represent King Mark of Tristan and Iseult legend or the very real Richard Earl of Cornwall who constructed the main medieval castle we see the ruins of today. But when you can choose whimsy, I say choose whimsy. So, Arthur it is and will remain for me. 

I’m trying to think of the words to adequately describe standing next to this looming figure. There is just something about the piece that draws you to it. Thankfully for us it wasn’t a crowded day so I didn’t have to wait long for my turn to stand next to the sculpture. It also meant I was able to get some great photos of it without a single person in the shot. 

By now we had worked up an appetite and it was time to head back into the tiny village. On our way we had to descend a few precarious stone stairs within the ruins. This is where we met a tenacious dachshund named Laila. We couldn’t help but laugh as she mean mugged us as we dared to follow behind her and her owners down said stairs. She kept giving us the side eye but we must have passed her test because she didn’t bark at us. She saved that for other dogs and the birds flying over head. She was a fierce little warrior inside a miniature body. 

The village of Tintagel is where we had our first real cream tea. A cream tea consists of cups of tea, scones, clotted cream, jam and sometimes butter. We had our first one in Torquey but honestly it was subpar with store bought scones and clotted cream that came in a little container that you peel the lid off of. This was the real deal. Homemade scones (the best I’ve ever had) and quality clotted cream made by a local dairy. It was the absolute best way to end our day in this special place. 

Would I return to this place that is off the beaten path? Absolutely.  I really hope I find myself wandering that headland again, gazing down the coastline and admiring the natural beauty of such a magical place. Although nothing will be like the first time. 

*pronounced New-Key for my American readers

** alternate spellings of Yseult are Iseult and Isolde. Also Tristan is sometimes Tristam