Menu

Castle Hunters

Castle

“How strange and beautiful it looked in the late afternoon light! I can still recapture that first glimpse – see the sheer grey stone walls and towers against the pale yellow sky, the reflected castle stretching towards us on the brimming moat, the floating patches of emerald-green water-weed.”

Dodie smith on Castles
Check out where our castle hunts have taken us
Our Master Castle List

How we became Castle Hunters

Our fascination and love of castles, in effect, started on our very first day in Ireland. It was the inspiration that led us to coin ourselves, Castle Hunters. Simply put, it was love at first sight. We have never wavered since on that energy and passion we found at our first castle, Trim Castle in Ireland.

The privilege to explore these magnificent architectural wonders is truly a gift. They capture your imagination in ways it is difficult to put into words. Fairy tales are based on these whimsical structures for that reason. The mighty walls of these majestic fortifications have stood proud for centuries.

These epic structures transport you back to a time where life was simple yet harsh. Even in the most elaborate of Medieval structures, life was cold, dark, and austere. These were the fortified residences of royalty and nobility. In fact, existence was quite difficult for these castle residents. Nonetheless, there is something so romantic and charming about them and their inhabitants.

Castle designs were about protecting their owners and kingdoms from their enemies. As a result, the Medieval castle was the core of military defense for a thousand years. They were fortresses that took horrific beatings; however, they remain standing today in all their glory.

Ryan living the Castle Hunters dream Lowther Castle, United Kingdom

So you ask, are they not all the same?

To our surprise, the answer is no. These massive structures did not have the modern machinery available today or the highly educated engineers with computer models. Yet they remain standing, always captivating. They are iconic, a testament to time—many in extraordinary settings.

On the top of mountains or deep in a forest. On beaches or in the middle of a river. In the heart of a city or on treacherous precipices. Even wearing a small backpack can prevent you from visiting some locations as the passages are extremely narrow. Despite this, our ancestors somehow built these structures with no cranes, vehicles, or modern technology to carry the stones.

Each castle holds a unique character, style, stone, architecture, and magic. You sense its soul, its heartbeat, and you feel the life in it while you begin to hear the voices that once echoed through these huge chambers of stone. Your imagination will transport you if you let it tell its story.

Even the simplest of ruins still capture our hearts. All of a sudden, in our minds, we can see it in all its glory.

Make no mistake about it. We love everything castle. Without a doubt, it is a bit of an obsession.

Ed Sheeran’s song Castle on the Hill speaks to their presence to this day. There is nothing like spying on that castle on the Hill to make the heart happy.

To conclude, we hope our fascination with castles is contagious and that you find the magic “within their walls” as well. Once in a while, give them a try. In time they will steal your heart and imagination, and you can become part of the Castle Hunters tribe. Join us on the hunt!

Trim Castle Ireland

Our Running Castle Hunters Count

231

Check out our master castle list HERE

Did you know?

Medieval castles

The Normans constructed the earliest Medieval Castles. These castles were built between the 5th and 15th centuries. Though records are poor, it is estimated there were 75,000 to 100,00 Medieval castles in Western Europe built during this period. There were three distinct styles.

1. Concentric Castle
A concentric castle has two or more concentric curtain walls, where the outer wall is lower than the inner and can be defended from it. These castles resemble one enclosure within another, normally without a central free-standing keep. There is often a strong tower projecting from within the inner Castle.
An example of a Concentric Castle is Harlech Castle in Wales, 1292.

2. Motte and Bailey Castle
A motte-and-bailey castle is a fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area called a motte. There is a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and a protective fence. It was the most common castle built in the 11th century.
An example of a Mote and Bailey Castle is Gravensteen Castle in Ghent, Belgium, 1180.

3. Stone Keep Castle
A stone keep was the central feature of this castle, with thick walls and few windows. The entrance to the keep was stone steps leading to the first floor. Keeps were foremost for the castle’s defense, which is a fortified tower built within the castle. It was the last refuge if the castle fell to an enemy.
An example of a Stone Keep Castle is Trim Castle in Ireland, our very first castle!

Gravensteen Castle, Ghent, Belgium
Gravensteen Castle, Ghent, Belgium

Let’s test your knowledge?

Our Castle Posts

Castle Hunters Gallery

Sao Jorge Castle Lisbon, Portugal
Castles dreams Croatia
Sao Jorge Castle Lisbon, Portugal
Spain
Castle Niebla Spain
Castle
Castle
Castle Spain
Caceres Spain
Blarney Castle Ireland Quotes
Castle Ireland
Castle Ireland
Castle Ireland
Castle Ireland
Castle
Castle
Castle
Lowther Castle UK
Huntly Castle Scotland
Scotland Castle
Eilean Donan Castle
Scotland Castle
Scotland
England Castle
Scotland
Dunserverick Northern Ireland
Craigievar Castle Scotland, AdventuresUK
Delft
Ireland
Trim Castle Ireland
Gloucester Hammond Castle
Gravensteen Castle, Ghent, Belgium
Gravensteen Castle Belgium
Castle
Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Castle Beersel, Belgium
Castle Gravenhof Belgium
Vrana Castle Croatia
Croatia
Croatia
Croatia
Croatia
Kronburg Castle
Holckenhaven Castle, Denmark
Burg Linn Castle, Germany
Loire Valley France
Chateau de Chenonceau Loire Valley France
Chateau de Chenonceau
Kronburg Castle Denmark
Germany
Germany
Oslo Norway
Pena Palace Portugal
Evora Portugal
Croatia
Spain
Spain
Bara Castle
Castle
Scotland Castle
Castle
Castle
English Castle
Dumfries Castle Scotland UK
Scotland Castle
Castle
Scotland Castle
Castle
Castle

© 2021 Wanderers Compass All Rights Reserved

Do you have a question for us or have a comment?

Contact us
Check out our newest blog posts

Want to learn about Wanderers Compass?

Click Here

Become part of our travel community

Keep updated on our newest posts and happenings! Promise no more than one email a month

No Comments

    Leave a Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.