Yorkshire castle trail.

 I am en route to York for the Vapnartak wargames show on Sunday. I decided to stop at some Yorkshire castles I hadn't visited for some time. Most castles in Yorkshire were substantial, reflecting the strong agricultural economy in the Middle Ages.

The first stop was Barnard Castle, more famous recently for Boris Johnson's advisor Dominic Cummings' trip there during lockdown, claiming he was testing his eyesight! This was a Balliol castle whose family briefly held the throne of Scotland. It is one of the largest in England, and the most striking view is as you approach the town. The castle towers over the River Tees.

The view from the castle down to the river reinforces this.

The entrance is through the pleasant market town and is pretty level. Inside you can see the remains of a complex castle structure with several levels of defence.

The next stop was Richmond, which also has the Green Howards Regimental Museum. Today it is the home of the Yorkshire Regiment and gives a good overview of the regiment's development with exhibits and interactive displays.

Napoleonic wars

I hadn't appreciated just how big a WW1 Spandau HMG was.

A lovely piece for the Napoleonic buffs. Pinched from Ney at Waterloo.

Crimean War

Then up to another massive castle, this one initially built by Alan Rufus.

It is a lot of steps, but the view is worth it!

Finally, Knaresborough Castle. More minor and less left standing, but another grand view.

A good day out, and I earned my beer and curry this evening. Looking forward to the show tomorrow.