Warwick Castle

Last weekend we traveled to Warwick Castle where we met up with our good friends, Eric & Emma Block and their children, Alex & Ellie. It is a great example of a "real" castle - everything is as you'd expect it - and we all really enjoyed the tour and the kids appreciated the Sunday roast dinner at lunchtime. The weather cooperated for about half of the day and luckily the kids played at the adventure playground before entering the castle or we wouldn't have heard the end of it. Note: Most places boast an "adventure playground". Some are very cheesy and basic, but this playground was well-done and appropriate for a variety of ages (and adults!). Warwick Castle (pronounced 'warrick') is affiliated with Madame Tussaud's and has displays throughout of wax like figures depicting everyday castle life.

View as you approach the castle entrance

View from one of the turrets of the inner castle

A Mom can hope, can't she?

Owen trying on a helmet in the armory

The chapel

The Great Hall with lots of spears, swords, helmets, antlers, taxidermy animals, etc...

Family photo with our newest addition, Alex. He and the boys truly enjoyed one another. My kids were having younger cousin flashbacks & liked it.

Evan

Finn with the sword in the stone
We then decided to follow the castle wall trail - about 500 steps up and around the outer walls of the castle, up into the turrets and around some very twisty spiral staircases - in other words boy heaven, Mom nightmare. Alex, who is two, and Eric, who recently broke his ankle, joined us. Craig returned to his days as a Dad of a toddler and carried Alex through the trickiest parts. We made it without incident, but it was a long haul.

View from way up high - Finn is the person at the top of the photo.



The River Avon

The rain began in earnest after the castle wall tour and we decided to leave. We want to return with visitors to see the grounds which looked gorgeous and they had a trebuchet which they demonstrate in the warmer months.