My favourite Castle

I love looking at pictures of castles in spectacular locations. High up, inaccessible, a story waiting to happen. San Marino Castle in Italy, the Lichtenstein Castle in Germany and many others that I’m discovering on Pinterest.

However, my favourite castle is something a bit different. It’s Tretower Court and Castle in the Brecon Beacons, Wales. It sits in a wide valley, surrounded by farmland. The Castle is Norman, built 900 years ago, and there's not much left of it apart from a shell. The Court is a hundred yards away, more of a manor house, a mere 500 years old or so in comparison. An enclosed courtyard with a walkway runs around the inside. It’s not spooky, it’s been lived in for hundreds of years and despite now being empty, it still feels cosy. There are sliding wooden shutters over the upstairs windows, warped floorboards, and what appear to be a million privies!

I’ve been back to this place several times and have always enjoyed the peace. And if you visit they do rather good coffee there too...

http://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/tretowercourtandcastle/?lang=en