The Drachenfels on the Rhine

 Well, in 30 degree heat, we've slowly explored just a few parts of Königswinter.

The great Rhine separating it from the city of Bonn provides an idyllic setting for boats, barges and ferries.

But it wasn't the Rhine that drew us in. It was the Drachenfels mountain railway, a cogwheel set-up begun well over a century ago. The green carriages really are quite beautiful.

Once at the top we did what has to be done. Sat on the summit cafe terrace and drank Kaffee and ate pommes!

From there we discovered

Drachenfels, the mystical ruined tower beloved of Wagner, Byron, Turner

Schloß Drachenberg

Distant Bonn city, its tall Telephone Building and the UN Centre

St.Petersburg where Adenauer entertained Presidents and the Queen

And another of the many highlights was a Goodyear zeppelin passing over the mountain cafe terraces.

I waited for the Skyship 1 shot, where it's stuck on the tower! 

All in all a fabulous day in an historic setting. 

With one last glimpse of the Drachenfels and the castle from the town

We're Back in our hotel now cooling off!

Rosenberg, Kronach's Castle

 Rosenberg, or Castle Rose, looms over Kronach old town.

Begun a thousand years ago, it grew into a vast ancient military fortress that was augmented by Franconian bishop after bishop after Bavarian King over hundreds of years.

With walls as wide as motorways and as high as pyramids, it contains towers within towers, endless tunnels, canon emplacements, tar holes, expendable bridges and its own water supply from a well 20 meters deep.

It's massive bastions were largely tested only once, during the Thirty Years War, but it held. In WWI one Charles De Gaul was held as a prisoner of war there and in WWII its underground chambers were readied for weapons manufacture but fortunately it came to nothing and the war ended.

It also survived the Black Death by closing its gates! 

Amazingly, a 12th Century main wooden gate is still in place made of a dozens of whole tree trunks and weighing many tons! 

An imposing fortress on a huge scale, Rosenberg is now a tourist attraction with guided walks, a museum, a hotel, an occasional heavy metal festival and a beautiful beer garden, but was largely very quiet the day we visited and boiling hot, except for in its deep tunnel system, which is a constant fridge temperature all year round!

Nowadays the actual prison in Kronach is the large building below at the foot of Rosenberg, a remand centre for around 25 inmates and Grade 1 listed!  It's entire sides and rear are festooned with razor wire and you can actually hear the incumbents talking to each other through the cellar grates!

Richard the Third's Castle

We are currently enjoying a short family holiday in Middleham in North Yorkshire, a beautiful large country village with horse and sheep traditions and connections to King Richard III.

As seems always the case we're never too far from a castle and this is no exception with Middleham castle's massive imposing ruined ramparts towering over the township.

English Heritage make sure kids can dress up as Kings and Queens in the grounds and they're well provided for in the gift shop full of toy swords, crossbows, shields and everything a young knight might need.

Just beyond the castle lies a much older mound where once was the original fastness perched high above the settlement. There's nothing there now except a dry moat, rabbits and a sad memorial to a teenager, but the aura of ancient Britain's life prevails.

If that wasn't enough history, Middleham is twinned with Agincourt in France, site of a massive Anglo-French battle, where the English longbow abounded.

Do you like castles or national monuments where you live readers? Did you visit as a kid with your family? 

Ivanhoe's Castle

 Me and the Missus visited Conisbrough Castle on the outskirts of Doncaster today.

It's a massively impressive stone fortress for sure with a huge pentagonal keep rearing up from the hill.

This ancient fastness was the setting for Ivanhoe, the knightly romance by Sir Walter Scott.

When I was nipper my parents had an old copy of Ivanhoe published by Dent. I remember it had tissue-thin pages and already smelled musty, tucked in as it was in a bookcase with Jean Plaidy, Victoria Holt, Jack Higgins, Alistair McLean, Readers Digests and a French Linguaphone course, rather like this snap I saw on Etsy. 

I think I had a children's version myself, part of the Bancroft series. Trouble is I only really recall Coral Island and the Black Arrow. This is Ivanhoe. Is it one you had?

Or maybe this one?

The lettering on the above really does ring a bell, especially the slanted O.

Whichever the Ivanhoe, like most boys, I loved knights in armour. 

I recall a plastic chromed knight statuette I had and maybe one on horseback, so seeing this similar modern rendition in the castle shop stirred up many happy memories.

They also stocked plastic helmets, swords, spears, wooden cross and longbows, rubber maces and my personal favourite, a large plastic battle axe. 

I was soooo tempted!

Did you read Ivanhoe? Did you have any toy armour and swords?

What's the oldest building near you? Any castles or forts?

OVER THE HA-HA

 Glimpses of the old lands in and around Wentworth Castle in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, which we visited today.

Have you been in the countryside lately?

DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE: EMERGING FROM THE MISTS OF TIME

Dunstanburgh

[14th Century]

Near Craster

Northumbria

ALNWICK CASTLE

This is Alnwick Castle, the ancient stronghold shouldering the River Aln in the kingdom of Northumbria.

Me and the Missus visited over Spring Bank.

Vast and complete with a resident Earl, its sprawling medieval bulk has witnessed history and made history.

It was Hogwarts as well.

 

It was first begun in stone in 1096.

The ramparts bristle with statues.

The dragon experience for Potter-mad kids is neatly tucked away

Its brooding towers overlook the rural Aln valley.

Its library contains 14,000 old books.

Unusual features like this spiked lamp abound.

Alnwick is one of the many wonderful castles in this ancient Northern county and one of the most complete in England.

Naturally it had a fine shop and many a child bought plastic swords and helmets and shields just like I did when I was a knight-mad nipper.

What do you think of Alnwick Castle?

Do you like castles and knights? Did you have any toys?