Castles Doable from London

Warwick is one !

Hever is not anything like Harlech (it's definitely not a ruin), but I think it's worth the trip. We've been there twice, the second time this last September when we took guests. It was VERY crowded, but I think the setting is beautiful.

I have never gone to Bodiam, but we have visited Battle. We've always had a car, so I can't speak to rail or bus options. But, we loved Battle! We walked the entire battlefield, and there were recreations going on that day. It's a nice little town too - if you're a meat eater, they had really good roast beef and Yorkshire pudding there.

Bodiam in Kent, near Hastings. Not sure how to get there (I hitchhiked decades ago) but close enough to London. Dover Castle is part-ruin, part-occupied (but not by royals). Easy train from Victoria, could combine with Canterbury. Has what's left of a Roman lighthouse, Saxon church, medieval buildings, and wartime tunnels inside the cliffs. There must be others but I can't think of any that I'd consider close enough to London (Warwick is great but pretty far for my idea of a day trip).

Thank you all. Dover is a great suggestion, but we've done it and with so little time we'd like to do something new. Tell me if there is a better way, but Hever looks like a via Stratford Upon Avon thing, and I'd rather not do Stratford again. Does anyone know the best way to get to Bodiam Castle, and if could it be combined with Battle? The idea of spending a day wandering a 1000 year old battle field and climbing to towers of an 800 year old castle sounds like the perfect break from London, i.e. outdoors and countryside oriented.

We visited Canterbury Cathedral, Battle, and Bodiam on the same day a few years ago. We always have a car, so I don't know how to get there by public transportation. Last month we did a day trip to Hastings which has a lovely old area worth visiting.. It also has a hilltop castle ruin but we didn't visit that......If you go to Warwick, Kenilworth Castle is within 15 miles and is a lovely ruin.......If you get the AA road atlas for Great Britain nearly all of the spots of historic interest are marked on it.

"Tell me if there is a better way, but Hever looks like a via Stratford Upon Avon thing, and I'd rather not do Stratford again" Hever is in Kent ie south of London. Here is a site covering castles, in various states of repair, in the UK. http://www.castleuk.net/homepage.htm

I have done Bodiam and Warwick, Bodiam is not easily reached by public transport due to being deep in the country side. I enjoyed Warwick due to being able to climb up to all of the towers etc. Hever is more of a home type castle with Leeds being the same way. Dover is ok but there is more to do in that region. Warwick is exactly how one would picture a castle looking and its in great shape for its age.

Please disregard my last message - not sure where my head was. Yes, we have been to Hever twice and enjoyed it, but I meant to talk about Leeds - that's the place that I think is in such a beautiful setting and was so crowded when we were there in September.

Hever and Bodiam can comfortably be done together but you need a car. Great experience. Bodiam is one of my fantasy dreams with its moat. And also Ightham Mote Hever website says train and then 3 miles by taxi.

Another vote for Bodiam - it's wonderful. In spring, summer and a few other days you can get there by steam train from Tenterden - see http://www.kesr.org.uk/timetable.html which is another great experience in itself. Although unfortunately Tenterden isn't the easiest place to get to either! A simpler way to get there is to get a train from London to Hastings then the no 349 bus to the castle, timetable here http://www.stagecoachbus.com/PdfUploads/Timetable_13109_349.pdf