National Trust Compton Castle Review

National Trust
Compton Castle
Paignton, Devon

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/compton-castle

Reviewed by Kimberley Hallett

I arrived at Compton Castle with my husband, a very excitable three year old and a five-month-old baby. I was immediately impressed with the location as it was very quiet and peaceful. Living only 15 minutes away, I had no idea it was there! The castle has a small but ample car park on the grass at the front of the castle, which I can imagine gets quite busy at peak times although there is further parking available opposite.

A very friendly member of staff greeted us at the ticket office; she was very knowledgeable and gave us a guide, a squirrel trail sheet and the Cadbury’s Easter Egg Hunt, which was on during the time we were there. Entry into the castle and grounds is £6 for an adult, £3 for a child or £15 for a family, which I think is reasonable. She also advised us that we wouldn’t be able to manoeuvre the grounds very easily with the pushchair and offered us a carrier to use whilst walking around. I thought this was a good service to provide as it saved carrying my baby around in my arms. The lady also offered us somewhere to store the pushchair if we didn’t want to take it back to the car. Little things like this make it so much easier when you have young children.

The beautiful gardens and the spectacular rooms, inside the castle, astounded us as we followed the map around the impressive grounds. It was also interesting to watch the video about the Gilbert family that had lived there and it was good to find out about some of the local history. The staff that worked at the castle were extremely knowledgeable and answered any questions that we had. There was even an opportunity for my little boy to dress up too but he didn’t want to. We were lucky because it was a beautiful day; I am not so sure my little boy would have enjoyed it quite as much if it had been raining, as he really loved exploring outside.

We didn’t bring lunch but there seemed to be plenty of space and some picnic benches just outside the castle where you could have lunch.

During our visit we completed the Squirrel Trail, which was given to us on arrival. My little boy loved counting the squirrels in each room and looking for the clues. Perhaps it would have been nice for the children to get a sticker for completing the trail.

We were lucky enough to be able to take part in the Cadbury’s Easter egg hunt, which my little boy was thrilled about. He was excited running around the grounds, looking for pirate flags and stamps, allowing us to take in the beauty of the surroundings. He was also very happy to receive an egg after getting all of the stamps. This was an added bonus to the day and will be a shame to lose once Easter is over. Maybe the idea of finding stamps in miniature chests, hung around the castle, could be used in conjunction with the Squirrel Trail with a small reward at the end such as a lolly; I know that my son would love that!

We had a lovely time at Compton Castle, there really is something for all the family. The staff were polite, helpful and friendly. My little boy had a brilliant time and even wants to go back for his birthday!

Rating: 5/5 

Tickets cost (with Gift Aid): Adult £6 (£6.60), Child £3 (£3.30) and Family £15 (16.50).

For more information visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/compton-castle.

Compton Castle, Marldon, Paignton, Devon, TQ3 1TA | 01803 661906