Caerphilly Castle
I've been to a few castles in my travels. Most of them don't look like the popular image of a castle. They are usually ruined structures with either the keep or a tower intact. That's not the case with Caerphilly. Caerphilly is the classic castle that we all picture. The castle has towers, a huge moat, a large keep, and a grand hall that still looks good. Add to these features an excellent exhibit on its construction and you have probably the best castle complex in Great Britain.
The day we were there, they were having a Medieval fair in the Castle's inner court. A film crew was there to tape the fair. Now, my take on these Medieval (or Renaissance) fairs is the same as the one held by a 700 year old character in a story I read (whose title I can't remember). "This isn't anything like the Renaissance, " he said. "There's no stench in the air." While I appreciate the lack of stench, I do think these fairs tend to be sanitized versions of what really happened. But, the fair at this castle only added to the ambiance. It was a delightful place to spend an afternoon.
If you're in the Cardiff area, you should get out of Cardiff (and its
overrated castle) and see a real castle. Cardiff bus has regular service
from downtown Cardiff to Caerphilly. Cost for adults to enter Caerphilly is £2.40. The cost
for students and children is £1.90.
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