Beeston Castle

On our way back from North Wales we stopped off at Beeston Castle. Not far from Chester and firmly in England, the castle saw most action during the wars with Wales in the 13th century. Its biggest feature is its location: perched on top of Beeston Crag, the castle has fabulous views across the otherwise flat Cheshire Plain.

When we visited the weather was a perfect June day. This also meant that the long, steep climb up to the castle had to be punctuated with several stops but this just meant that we could enjoy the view even more. Once at the top, there isn't actually a great deal of castle left - but you certainly appreciate the location.

The outer wall, half way up the crag, was the castle's first defence

Peckforton Castle, a Victorian castle is a couple of miles away

The inner gatehouse is protected by its high position and a large ditch

The views improve as the summit is approached

Looking out across the Cheshire Plain

The size of the cows in the nearby farm reminds us how high we are

Looking east, with the Pennines in the distance