English Heritage Etal Castle Review
English Heritage
Etal Castle
Northumberland
Reviewed by Louise Best
The drive to Etal Castle in northern Northumberland was a pleasure in itself; travelling through the stunning countryside villages of Longhorsley, Maelmin and Wooler. The castle is easy to find, and well signposted from the A697 and B6354 roads. The castle remains are small in comparison to, and obviously not as impressive as, other Northumberland castles such as Bamburgh. It is however, well-kept and set in lovely grounds which are perfect for a peaceful picnic, which is exactly what we enjoyed during our visit.
There is a small visitor centre which was staffed by a very friendly and knowledgeable English Heritage guide. We were allowed to explore the castle as we wished and were told if we had any questions to ask away. Within the castle grounds there is a small picnic area which we made full use of by having our lunch there whilst we discussed the stunning environment and its history.
The information which is given throughout the site is to be credited, as not only are you learning about the battles which took place at Etal but you also learn about life in the surrounding villages from Medieval times to present day. The exhibition itself is full of colour with flags, body armour and swords. It provided a fascinating insight into the history of this part of the country, dating back to the 4th century.
The price for an adult is £4.30 (without Gift Aid) and for a child £2.60 (without Gift Aid). I feel that is a very fair price due to the excellent customer service you receive during the visit, amenities available such as the picnic area, toilets and parking and the good quality of the whole site in general.
I would definitely recommend that other individuals and families visit this beautiful site, for us it was the perfect afternoon out. We learnt about the history within our stunning county, we spent quality family time within the grounds and we left feeling lucky that we have such beautiful sites on our very doorstep.
Rating: 5/5 
Admission (with Gift Aid): Adult £4.30 (£4.80), Child £2.60 (£2.90), Family £11.30 (12.50)
Family ticket is for 2 adults and up to 3 children. Child ticket is 5-15 years.
For more information visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/etal-castle.
Etal Castle, Cornhill on Tweed, Northumberland, TD12 4TN | 01890 820332
