Corfe Castle, Dorset

There’s something special about castles. As soon as I visit one, my imagination starts to run wild. I find myself imagining what would have happened when the castle was alive with Knights. I guess the days I spent watching and reading about Robin Hood have a lot to answer for. I see castles as very dramatic, colourful and romantic places. Over the years, we’ve visited lots of castles, the boys have each gone through a Knights stage. We have visited castles all over the place, perhaps our favourite castle is in Beynac, France. But somehow we had missed a castle closer to home, Corfe Castle, Dorset, and it now holds a top position in our hearts.

Corfe Castle

Corfe Castle has been a National Trust property since 1982. Located in beautiful Dorset, the castle stands between Wareham and Swanage. It dates back to the 12th Century.

It’s a ruin.

It’s important to emphasis, this is the ruin of what would have been a huge and impressive castle. It is now a ruin with fallen walls, there are no “indoor rooms with original artefacts” in glass cabinets. This is a raw ruin of a castle, you walk through the ruin, catching glimpses of just how impressive the castle must have once been.

There is no view of this castle which isn’t impressive. I loved standing opposite the village post office and looking back at the castle. The children marvelled at the castle as they walked up to the village. It really is impressive.

Things to remember.

The National Trust car park is quite a walk from the Castle, this is something to consider if you’re trying to visit with someone who has limited ability to walk. There is a National Trust cafe, toilets and shop adjacent to the car park. The car park is pay and display, though it is free if you are a National Trust Member.

There’s a great natural play area, between the car park and the castle. It’s well worth a visit, but remember to take spare clothes or clothes which will dry quickly..we may have had a child with one wet shoe after misjudging the stepping-stones!

Corfe is a beautiful village, there’s another National Trust cafe just outside the Castle entrance with a garden which over looks the Castle. The village post office is great if you need to just grab a cold drink or a quick snack for your walk back to the car, they were really friendly to!