Cool Places
Castell Coch
Castle Hill Tongwynlais Cardiff CF15 7JS
The countryside around Cardiff abounds in great castles, and Castell Coch, four miles north of the city in Tongwynlais, is one of the most spectacular. While it can’t compare to Caerphilly Castle in terms of size, its enormous buttressed towers and spiky turrets look magical set against the thickly wooded hillside – hence its frequent use as a TV and film location for the likes of Dr Who and Robin Hood. There’s much to admire inside, too. Originally a 13th-century fortress, it was mostly rebuilt in the late 19th-century – by the same William Burges who remodelled Cardiff Castle – in the so-called Gothic Revival style, hence the lavish, frequently ostentatious, interior. Once done, enjoy a cuppa in the tea rooms.
