A wonderful out of the way place to visit. The TV ...

A wonderful out of the way place to visit. The TV show had sparked our desire to see the place in the flesh. Our expectations were exceeded! The construction of the castle goes on as the tourists wander around. It is currently about two thirds complete, and there is plenty to see. We loved climbing the spiral staircases and exploring the round tower rooms, the great hall and the kitchen. Watching the human powered cranes in action was a highlight! I have read some reviews that said that the castle was small, but I think that it is a realistic size for a small castle (and we have recently visited Carcassonne!). The surrounding village contains shelters for the various crafts, including woodcutters, carpenters, blacksmiths, quarry, stonemasons, rope makers, paint and dye makers. There are vegetable gardens and animals. On the day we visited there were many bus loads of school children who were obviously enjoying the place as much as we were. We also enjoyed a simple medieval style cooked lunch at the restaurant. There were covered picnic areas for those who had brought their own food.