Things to do with kids in Tintagel.

English Heritage's crown jewel on the north Cornwall coast: a promontory castle split across two cliff faces, connected by a footbridge with views straight down to the Atlantic. The ruins date from the 13th century but sit on a site with much earlier occupation — the Arthurian legend, however embellished, gives children a narrative frame that makes the archaeology meaningful. The climb is steep in places; the new footbridge across the gorge is the trip's centrepiece. Allow two hours. Pre-book tickets online — the site reaches capacity quickly in summer.

A fourteenth-century Cornish longhouse in the heart of the village, now run by the National Trust. The building's wavy roofline and medieval rooms are genuinely atmospheric — it's not a reconstructed visitor attraction but an actual medieval building you walk through. Children who have been running around the castle find the contrast of scale and intimacy engaging. The garden is small but pretty. NT membership gives free entry; standard admission is modest. The best rainy-day option in Tintagel by some distance.

The four-mile stretch of South West Coast Path north from Tintagel to Boscastle is among the most dramatic on the entire peninsula — clifftops, sea stacks, and one of the deepest natural harbours in Cornwall at the end. With children it's a serious commitment (allow three hours), but Boscastle's National Trust visitor centre and the Witchcraft Museum justify the effort for older kids. Return via taxi or arrange a car shuttle. Not suitable for toddlers; best with 8 and upward.