A visit to Caldicot Castle

Living in Wales has a lot of positives, one being that there are 600 castles to explore and one we have been meaning to visit for years is Caldicot Castle, a medieval castle in Monmouthshire, which is set in a beautiful country park. The fantastic thing about Caldicot is that it's free and you can spend a good half a day exploring the castle grounds and country park, although it's not open all year round so you do need to check the website before setting off.

There is also plenty of free parking on site and lots of picnic beaches so this is perfect for a fun-filled frugal family day out and one to keep in mind over the summer.

As you walk through the castle gates you come into a beautiful courtyard with plenty of space for kids to run around overlooked by crumbling ivy-covered towers and an outdoor chess set and stocks which are popular with kids. Not all of the ruins are open all the time but you can go inside the gatehouse, one of the tower platforms and into what would be the dining room and a place where people can get married and host receptions.

There is also a small but perfectly formed rose garden which was in full bloom when we visited at the end of last month and really nice to have a stroll through. I found the whole place fascinating and you is a great place to spend a few hours. There is also a sweet tea house with coffee and cake on site. 

On various weekends throughout the summer, they hold events such as "Have a go Archery" and again these activities are very budget-friendly with the archery being around £1.50 to try out.

Once you are done with the castle the country park offers 55 acres of meadows and woodland to explore and there is a nice playground suitable for toddlers and young children, we spent a good hour just enjoying the lovely surroundings and if your looking for a free and educational place to explore over the summer I recommend a visit to Caldicot Castle and country park.

* I have no affiliation with Caldicot Castle