~ Caldicot Castle - Feast fit for a King ~

Advantages: Excellent food, Great sites, Good history, Nice staff
Disadvantages: none - apart from the one guy see review

...~ Feast fit for a King ~ Following my last review, last weekend was as you know my Nan?s birthday. As 70 is a special number she planned her birthday for the family to have a medieval weekend in Caldicot. She has been planning this for over a year so I know it was going to be a brilliant evening. The main part of her birthday was to go to Caldicot Castle for a banquet. We all had medieval outfits where some were not as pleased to wear as others, but I think we all looked great. After we arrived at Brooklands Motel we got ready into our outfits and all met on the balcony for a toast. We then only had a five minute walk down the road to the castle, which the locals driving past thought was interesting. Twenty two people walking down the main road in Medieval gear. The men?s outfits were brilliant and we had a large mixture...

blackmagicstar4 02.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Castles (Wales)

Who's castle?

Advantages: Funny and entertaining
Disadvantages: They never win which is very frustrating

...Takeshi's castle is a Japanese game show which is very similar to Total Wipeout although it's very dated. The show starts out with 100 contestants who battle it out by running assault courses and participating in different challenges before faces the final challenge and being in with a chance of winning one million yen. The show is ridiculously hard and it does make the watcher wonder if they don't actually have the prize funds at the end. My favourite challenge throughout the show is where the contestant has to run through doors but some of the doors are glued shut so if they choose the wrong one then they end up crashing into it. Craig Charles narrates the UK version of the show and I have to say that he is very funny with some of the things he comes out with. He adds a whole new level to it and makes it all the more fun to...

claribella 22.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Takeshi's Castle

A CASTLE OF DREAMS

Advantages: Outstandingly Beautiful and Romantic Setting. Interesting History. A Great day Out.
Disadvantages: Difficult to Find - Otherwise None!

...the elements and fell into some state of decay. George Cubitt purchased the ruin in 1864 for £5000. He drained the moat and discovered many of the missing stones, which had simply fallen from the castle walls into the water, he then employed a stonemason, Charles Thompson, to replace these and, where necessary, to cut and fix in place new ones. He stopped at reconstructing the outer walls of the castle; there was no intention to return the status of it to that of a family home. During this period the castle was covered in ivy and had trees growing in the central courtyard. In a sense it is difficult to imagine a more romantic setting, or home than this, every fairy princesses dream come true, yet, unlike the Disney castles, this one is and was very much for real. Bodiam Castle is one place that actually succeeds in bringing back...

RICHADA 22.03.2006 · Read review
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Review of Bodiam Castle

The King of Castles

Advantages: One of the most impressive historical buildings I have ever seen
Disadvantages: The fact that its not more widely known

...Carrickfergus Castle I grew up in the shadows of this impressive monument and it amazes me that it is not more widely known outside of the UK. The castle is the best preserved monument in the whole of Ireland and is stunning to look at from all angles. Location The castle is located in the town of Carrickfergus which is situated on the shores of Belfast Lough about 10 miles from Belfast. The castle can easily be reached from Belfast by car (pretty much a straight road), regular buses and trains. The castle is open all year round. Off season it is open 10-4 Monday to Sat and 2 - 4 on a Sunday and during the summer or peak months the opening hours are extended until 6pm daily. It costs £3 per adult and £1.50 for children/senior citizens. A family ticket costs £8. A brief history The history of the castle is fascinating...

Ghumphrey 30.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Carrickfergus Castle

King Of The Castles

Advantages: Beautiful grounds, lots to see outside, a very popular 'must go to' tourist attraction
Disadvantages: Can get extremely busy, expensive tickets (dungeon is additional)

...Warwick Castle was on my list of touristy things to do when I stayed overnight in a hotel in Stratford this year. Located in Warwick, the castle is probably Warwickshire's biggest, most popular, and most expensive, attraction. At around £20 per adult ticket it's not cheap, but as a one-off visit it's definitely somewhere noteworthy to say you've been and depending on the weather the day you go, could prove to be a day-long visit. There are several ways and places to pay for your ticket, though buying in advance online if possible is probably the cheapest method unless you have an alternative discount voucher. On the day, ticket prices are as follows: Adult £19.95 Senior £11.95 Student £14.95 Child (4-16) £10 Disabled or carer £8.95 Family £48.00 Entry can also be redeemed via a Merlin pass, Tesco clubcard vouchers...

gothic_moon 06.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Warwick Castle

The King of the Castles

Advantages: Lots of interesting stuff, cheap admission, great views
Disadvantages: A few dull exhibits

...The pretty Slovenian town of Ptuj (pronounced Puh-too-ee) is reputed to be the country's oldest settlement and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. The highlight of a visit to Ptuj is the impressive castle that guards over the town from a position on a high flat plateau. Travelling to or from the far north east of Slovenia by train gives you the best overall view of the castle, in my opinion Slovenia's most attractive. Given the strategic advantage it provides, it's hardly surprising that there have been settlements on this site since Roman times. Feudal lords built a castle here around the tenth century of which one tower still stands today. In the twelfth century Archbishop Konrad of Salzburg, the then feudal lord of Ptuj, ordered the construction of a new fortress; only the Leslijev wing of that...

fizzytom 16.11.2008 (17.11.2008) · Read review
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Review of Ptuj Castle (Ptujski Grad), Ptuj

Prague Castle

Advantages: Great view
Disadvantages: Waste of money

...As some of you will know from my other review I visited Prague recently. I didn't include Prague Castle in that review because it seemed like the review was already really long but as it is one of the main attractions. This review is going to be really mixed because there is so much to Prague castle. It's really like going to a little village because there is so much to the castle and the area around it and if you want to see it all then you'll need to spend the entire day there. -Tickets- I bought a Prague Card and got the short tour free on that but if you don't have a prague card the prices are: Short Tour- 250 crowns (£9.22) Long Tour-350 Crowns (£12.90) You can also pay to get into individual attractions and discounts are available, as well as family tickets. (Please not that the currency in Prague is changing so...

Brooke3 29.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Prague Castle

A Conwy mans home is his Castle

Advantages: Historical, stunning views and some beautiful building work
Disadvantages: Not wheelchair friendly and can be tricky underfoot

...Wales is a beautiful place to visit, with some spectacular scenery and some stunning ruins to see. One of them being Conwy castle. ** LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY LESSON? Conwy castle is situated in North Wales, over looking the Conwy river. It is a ?Linear? type castle which was built in 1283 during King Edward I second campaign in North Wales, the final stone being laid in 1289. It took around 1500 workers, involving stonecutters and general labourer at a cost then of around £15,000 (just over £160 million in today?s money), although some of this cost was actually used on the towns defences and not just the castle. It was purposely built on solid rock for extra defence and to guard the entrance to the Conwy Estuary. A few years after completion Edward I was besieged for several months in the castle during the rebellion...

blissman70 30.04.2009 · Read review
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Review of Conwy Castle

Norbreck Castle Hotel - Armish Paradise

Advantages: It has 18 wheeler in the arcade!
Disadvantages: It has secret communes of people hidden away...

...I'm laughing as I'm writing this, because I simply cannot believe what we've just experienced! We booked with National Holidays and were given The Norbreck Castle as a dwelling place! I got onto the net and couldn't believe my luck when I was presented with beautiful pictures of a fantastic castle with amazing facilities! We travelled down on the coach looking forward to our stay at this amazing castle! The coach arrived and my jaw quite simply hit the floor. It looks like an eastern european prison. The driver on the coach then announced, "Oh, and by the way folks, you can't check into your rooms untill 3pm!" Which was great, considering it was 10am. We entered the hotel and were greeted with a wonderful 1970s reception with lovely wooden revolving doors which felt as if they were about to fall off. Everything from the reception...

Dave1976 19.08.2008 · Read review
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Review of Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool

Dundonald Castle

Advantages: Interesting history
Disadvantages: None

...Dundonald Castle is a ruin in the Ayrshire district of Scotland. It was built for Robert II in 1371 and was home to many Scottish kings over the years. Directions, Admission and Opening Hours The easiest way to get to the castle is to drive, following the A78 to Irving and then following the signs to Dundonald. You can also get to the town on public transport, buses stop within a few minutes? walk of the visitors centre and there are train services to local towns, and from there you can get a bus or a taxi. Admission: Adult £2.50, Child £1.25 (under 5 free). The castle and the visitors centre are open 10am to 5pm from 1st April to 31st October. Accessibility The visitors centre is completely accessible for those in wheelchairs; however the castle is located at the top of a very steep hill, which may cause...

Fiver29 29.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Dundonald Castle, Ayrshire