Castles

Somerset's castle ruins scatter across the county like forgotten chess pieces, each one telling a different story about medieval power and Tudor ambition. The big draw is Taunton Castle, right in the town centre, where you can actually walk inside the keep and see how people lived when it mattered. The Somerset County Museum sits here too, so you get both the stones and the backstory without doubling back.

Hillfort castles dot the landscape further out - Dunster Castle near Minehead is the showstopper, all turreted and National Trust-managed, sitting dramatically above the village. It's not a ruin; it's lived-in and maintained, which means proper gardens and a working interior. Worth the detour if you're into Tudor interiors, less so if you just want to scramble about ramparts.

For real castle-spotters, the earthwork remains scattered around Taunton and into the Quantocks reward closer looking - Restormel and Haddon are hikes rather than destinations, but walkers get the most from them. Kids under ten might find ruins a bit "just a pile of stones" unless there's a good story attached.

If you're based at Waterrow Touring Park, you're well-positioned. Taunton's twenty minutes away, Dunster around an hour. Both merit a morning visit as part of a broader Somerset swing. Free to wander most of the exposed sites; Dunster and Taunton charge entry but have proper facilities. Allow two hours for a castle and its museum, longer if you're hiking between sites.