Berkeley Castle Review
Berkeley Castle
Gloucestershire
Reviewed by Judy Cera
On 29 October I braved the miserable drizzly weather and took my two sons, Ben aged 7 and Toby aged 11 to Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire. The castle was well signposted from the A 38 and was easy to find. There was plenty of free parking. The staff were friendly and welcoming and explained what we could see and do, and what the Halloween activities were.
My younger son, Ben, was keen to try the pumpkin carving so we went there first. The staff running the Halloween activities were friendly and chatted to the boys. For the small charge of £2, Ben chose a pumpkin, scooped out the seeds and drew a face on it, and the staff cut out the face for him. He was very pleased with the finished product which we collected at the end of our visit.
Next we went to visit the castle itself. Again we were welcomed by friendly and knowledgeable staff who gave us some quizzes to complete as we went round. This was a great idea as it gave the boys something to look for or find out in each room. The woman pointed out that the steps are uneven and explained that they were built like that deliberately in order to trip up the enemy soldiers. She also pointed out the hole above our heads where boiling fat or lead would have been poured on the enemy. This kind of detail really brought the castle to life for the boys. There were several rooms to look around in the castle including the buttery, the kitchen, the great hall, the beer cellar and the picture gallery. Each room had a card with interesting information on the history of the room. There are many features on display in the rooms such as furniture, kitchen utensils, beautiful tapestries and stunning portraits. You really get a feel of what it must have been like to live there. The boys were given a packet of sweets each as a prize for completing the quiz. The man who gave us the sweets was very knowledgeable about the history of the castle and filled us in on some of the questions that we had been unable to answer. We spent about 45 minutes in the castle. Guided tours are available every half hour at no extra charge.
Next we went to the Yurt Restaurant for some lunch. The boys had a kids’ lunch box each and I had one of the specials – spicy pumpkin soup which was delicious. There were other hot and cold meals and drinks available as well as very tempting cakes. The yurt itself is a very pleasant place to have lunch or a snack with its wooden interior and cosy atmosphere.
After lunch, despite the bad weather, we had a look around the grounds. We had fun exploring and looking at all the magnificent trees and the lily pond. We spent about 45 minutes in the grounds but we would have spent longer if the weather had been better.
We were interested to read that there is also a butterfly house at Berkeley Castle but were disappointed to find that it is only open from May to September. We may have to come back next summer! There is also a shop and a plant sale.
I would definitely recommend Berkeley Castle as a day out for families. My older son appreciated it more than my seven-year-old so I think it appeals more to older children rather than younger ones. Ben’s favourite thing was the pumpkin carving while Toby liked the castle grounds best. I was very impressed with the staff who were all very friendly and took time to engage us in all the activities and talk to the boys in a way that captured their interest.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost £5.50 (child 3-16), £10 (adult) and £28 (family, 2 adults and 2 children).
For more information visit www.berkeley-castle.com.
Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire, GL13 9BQ | 01453 810303 | info@berkeley-castle.com
