We visited Beaumaris castle on our last full day in Wales. The Isle of Anglesey was on our bucket list, so we made the most of the attractions.
About Beaumaris Castle
The castle began in 1295 and was the last in a network of fortresses.
The castle sits on The Isle of Anglesey with stunning views over the Menai Strait and mountains. The castle was the last of the royal strongholds and last and largest of the 'iron ring' fortification led by Edward I. I was blown away by the water filled moat and you really got a sense of what it was like in its hay day. The outer walls alone are bristled with over 300 arrow loops and even though the castle was never finished it is still a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Described as the beautiful marsh, Designed as a near perfect concentric of walls within walls.
I always recommend purchasing a guide book to learn more about the history.
Our visit
It was a wet morning when we arrived at the castle but we didn't mind, so we popped on our waterproofs and went exploring.
This castle although big is not Caernarfon standard and there's not as much to explore, but it is still worth a visit, especially if you are in the area. You get a real sense of how life was like and just how big the place was. The gate house alone was huge! We enjoyed our visit and wandered around the inner walls, the wall walk and Elliot had fun building his own version of the castle. We took shelter in the AV room when the rain got torrential and I'm glad we did, you can watch a video of the history of the castle which was really interesting and done in a way to keep kids engaged. I was a little worried about the beware of the gulls signs, but they were fine and even let me take a quick picture.
There's also a lovely little gift shop to have a nosey around too.
Top Tips
Sturdy footwear- the floor can be slippery and there's quite a bit of climbing.
Be weather prepared
Go to the toilet before you go in the castle. There are no toilets in the castle, but public toilets are 30 seconds away.
Grab something to eat either before you go in or be prepared to eat after your visit (no café)
Good to know
No toilets on site - located 30 seconds outside of the castle
No café - Lots of other places to grab a drink or a bite to eat though (we recommend The Bulkeley Hotel, we had tea and cakes)
Gift Shop
Dogs on leads welcome on the ground floor only
You can spend an hour or so here, so if you are looking for a full day out have something else planned
Parking is a 5 minute walk away
Picnic benches
Terrain is grassy, slippery when wet, steep steps
Address
Beaumaris Castle
Castle Street
LL58 8AP
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