Castle Coch, A Fairy Tale Castle on a Hill – Thoughts & Tips

The evocative castles of the UK – Medieval, Gothic, Victorian are perhaps the highlights of my to Britain. You’d find one in almost every town, some big, some small, some nearly obliterated during the war while others looking like they were just built yesterday.

Wales is reputed to be the castle capital of the UK with Castle Coch being one of its most treasured historical sites. Built in 1870 the castle was a project of John Crichton-Stuart, the 3rd Marquess of Bute, an aristocrat from a very prominent family.

Lord Bute played many important roles in society and was a patron of architecture and design. He commissioned the construction of Castle Coch to William Burges a celebrated Victorian architect who also designed his elaborate main residence Cardiff Castle. However, the castle being far from the city was never a permanent home for the Marquess’ and his family so, it was seldom occupied.

At present, the property is maintained by the Welsh heritage agency CADW. It is open to visitors regularly and is a frequent venue for family activities on holidays like Christmas and Easter. Special exhibits are occasionally on display too.

If you fancy a medieval style wedding, Castle Coch is the perfect venue. The Drawing Room which is the most elaborate chamber in the castle, is occasionally used as a venue for weddings. Its golden chandeliers hanging high above and walls adorned with ornately painted flowers, will leave you feeling like Cinderella even for just one day.

Photo Courtesy of sueduncBAT

Photo Courtesy of mgdupont

Getting There

If you’re a foreigner without a car wandering in Wales on your own, you’ll often find yourself wondering how to get from point A to point B. On the day of my visit I managed to locate the stop for Bus 26 at Cardiff City Centre.

The bus goes to the town of Blackwood. A bus leaves every 30 minutes though intervals are longer during non-peak hours. It took around 35 minutes to arrive at Tongwynlais which was the third or fourth stop from Cardiff City.

Photo Courtesy of Ruby W

The tricky thing is that you’ll be in for quite a hike since this pretty little castle sits on a hill towering over the village of Tongwynlais. Most visitors get there by car, others in shuttles delivered in tour groups. But, if you’ve got the stamina don’t worry about the uphill walk. Anyway, a little exercise can always do you good.

Check out these travel guides for more info on the coolest attractions and things to do in Wales

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