General - Berry Pomeroy castle is one of the most haunted castle ruins in the country, and the most haunted in the South West. It lies on the outskirts of Torbay which is about a 25 minute ride in the car outside of Plymouth. The castle ruins are quite magnificent with most of the area being open to the public to explore, although some small sections are closed off due to renovation work. The television programme ‘Most Haunted’ held a live event at the castle which highlighted the ghostly goings on around the ruins. Beside the castle, there are lovely walks through the surrounding countryside and former castle grounds. An electronic guided tour is available on request. Throughout certain months of the year, tours are put on by the castle staff. These include midnight walks and ghost tours of the castle and surrounding area.
Food and Drink - Outside of the castle grounds there is a small Cafe that is usually quite busy. The usual food and drinks are served, but I believe the Cafe is only open during the busier months of the year.
Disabled - Due to the ruins of the castle, the site isn’t particularly good for disabled visitors. There are lots of pot holes in the car park and it is a little walk from the car park to the castle itself. Within Berry Pomeroy castle, there is a large section on level ground but if you want to get the full experience of visiting different levels of the ruins, then it would be very difficult for disabled individuals. However, the level ground is in the courtyard area and the electronic guide is still available to listen to. I don’t think there was a disabled toilet on site.
Toilets - The only toilets available are those that make up part of the Cafe, outside the actual grounds. These were not in the best of conditions due to the site being in the middle of the countryside where lots of insects inhabit the area, but are probably made a bit cleaner during the Summer months.
Children - The castle ruins will prove a very exciting time for all children, especially during Halloween when children can dress up as ghosts and witches when visiting. They will have a great time exploring the ruins and will probably learn a lot about the history of the castle via the electronic guide. The surrounding area outside of the actual ruins is also a great area for picnics during the Summer months and the woods nearby will excite any young person. Adults would have to keep an eye on children whilst visiting certain areas of the ruins due to potential hazards such as falling down steep steps and going into areas that are off limits.
Car Parks - There is a medium sized car park a few minutes walk from the castle. The car park can get very muddy during wet periods so it is advised to take boots where possible. It is not on one level and has several pot holes, so drivers need to be careful when entering and parking up. During the busy months of the year, the car park can be filled up pretty quickly so getting to the castle ruins early is a must.
Review Date - 2011-07-01