Dunster Castle

Dunster Castle has stood on its wooded tor above the Somerset coast since Norman times and was home to the Luttrell family for 600 years until they gave it to the National Trust in 1976; today's castle is largely Anthony Salvin's Victorian remodelling of a Jacobean house inside the medieval walls. The terraced gardens use the sheltered south-facing slope for lemon and palm trees among subtropical planting, and paths drop to the working watermill on the River Avill, with a miller on hand to explain it. Dogs on short leads are welcome all year across the parkland, garden paths and watermill, though not inside the castle or on the garden lawns. Reviewers suggest at least half a day for castle, gardens and mill, and rate the below-stairs kitchens tour as the only way to see the servants' side of the house. Tips from regulars: the walk up from the car park is steep, though a shuttle runs for those with limited mobility; the car park is small, so arrive early; and the castle cafe can run short by lunchtime, while Dunster village, a direct walk from the grounds, has plenty more cafes.