Tintagel Castle

CastleCornwallEnglish Heritage4.6(19,500 on Google)

Book tickets Website

£20

non-member

Free

EH members

4.6

on Google

Open

see times

Tintagel Castle occupies a rocky Cornish headland where early medieval rulers established a stronghold long before the place became entangled with the legend of King Arthur. Geoffrey of Monmouth's account linked Arthur's conception to Tintagel, and the later castle ruins now spread across the mainland and island. The footbridge is part of the experience, leading to ruined buildings, sea views and the Gallos sculpture inspired by the Arthurian story. An exhibition explores the relationship between history and legend, while the beach and Merlin's Cave can be visited when tides and conditions permit. Reviewers repeatedly praise the coastal setting and recommend comfortable shoes for the steep approach and uneven paths. Park in the village and allow time to walk down to the entrance. Dogs are welcome on leads, with particular care needed around cliff edges and nesting birds. Wheelchair access is limited; discuss the route with staff before travelling.

Walking routes

Tintagel and Barras Nose walk

Not confirmed as a suitable dog-walking route: the National Trust's Tintagel walk from Fore Street around Barras Nose is explicitly labelled 'Not suitable for dogs'. Do not treat its public coastal route as a recommended dog walk. Village pay-and-display parking is independent of castle admission.

Not suitable for dogs

Checked 2026-09-10

Opening times

Spring & summer hours

Property10:00 - 17:00

Opening time details

The driving pin is the council's Tintagel Visitors Centre car park on Bossiney Road, not the vehicle-free castle track. Walk through the village to the castle; allow for the steep approach.

Last admission is one hour before closing. Beach and cave access depends on tide and conditions.

English Heritage is planning a visitor centre in the former Wootons Inn. A move date is Not confirmed; follow current entrance signs.

Current calendar: 2026-09-09 to 2026-09-13: Property: Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 17:00 Last admission is one hour before the site closes

Seasonal calendar: 2026-10-26 to 2026-11-01: Property: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 16:00 Last admission is one hour before the site closes

Seasonal calendar: 2026-11-02 to 2026-11-29: Property: Mon, Tue CLOSED; Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 16:00 Last admission is one hour before the site closes

Check the official date calendar for holiday openings, seasonal price bands and event exceptions. Later dates may differ from this snapshot.

Wheelchair access is limited by the terrain. The usual exit has 140 steep steps; ask staff about returning over the bridge. No on-site accessible parking; call 01840 770328 about individual access needs.

English Heritage membership covers standard admission. National Trust membership alone does not cover entry. Special events may be charged separately.

Hero photograph: Balon Greyjoy. CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=137181396

Photo licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

Dogs at the location: Allowed with restrictions. Dogs are welcome on leads at the castle. Access inside the exhibition, shop and cafe is Not confirmed separately by the facilities page.

Dog walks in the grounds: Allowed with restrictions. Dogs on leads may explore the castle's ticketed ruins and island grounds with an admission ticket or eligible membership. Steps, exposed cliff edges and nesting birds require care.

Dog walks in the surrounding area: Not confirmed. Not confirmed as a suitable dog-walking route: the National Trust's Tintagel walk from Fore Street around Barras Nose is explicitly labelled 'Not suitable for dogs'. Do not treat its public coastal route as a recommended dog walk. Village pay-and-display parking is independent of castle admission.

Leads: Keep dogs on leads throughout the castle, particularly near cliff edges and nesting birds.

Seasonal dog restrictions: Not confirmed: no fixed seasonal dog exclusions are specified on the castle facilities page. Observe current signs and bird-protection measures.

Assistance dogs: Assistance-dog access is indicated on the official access page; contact the team about the difficult terrain and route.

Pricing

Free entry with English Heritage membership

Entry

Non-member prices

Adult

£20.00

Child (5-17)

£10.00

Concession

£18.10

Family (2 adults, up to 3 children)

£50.00

Family (1 adult, up to 3 children)

£30.00

Pricing details

Adult: standard-day walk-up, without donation. EH members enter free; online advance booking saves up to 15%. Under-5s free. Walk-up range: £18.10 off-peak to £22.70 peak.

Child (5-17): standard-day walk-up, without donation. Walk-up range: £9.00 off-peak to £11.30 peak.

Concession: standard-day walk-up, without donation. Walk-up range: £16.30 off-peak to £20.90 peak.

Family (2 adults, up to 3 children): standard-day walk-up, without donation. Walk-up range: £45.40 off-peak to £56.80 peak.

Family (1 adult, up to 3 children): standard-day walk-up, without donation. Walk-up range: £27.20 off-peak to £34.00 peak.

Parking

Pay to park

Council village parking, charged separately. Not a Trust car park, so membership does not cover it.

Parking details

No castle car park. The chosen arrival point is Tintagel Visitors Centre, Bossiney Road PL34 0AA. Walk through the village to Castle Road; do not drive down the castle track.

Council tariffs apply 09:00-16:00; no charge 16:00-09:00. EH or NT membership does not cover parking. No motorhomes or campers 23:00-08:00. Check current payment signs.

Tariffs: Up to 1 hour £1.00; 1 to 2 hours £1.80; 2 to 4 hours £3.00; 24 hours £4.20.

Pins

Enamel pin badges sold in the shop here, photographed by visitors.

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Facilities

CafeShopToiletsBaby changingViewpointDogs on leads