Are you a lover of Arthurian legends? You probably are, if you’re heading to Tintagel. And do you like caves? If you answer ‘yes’ to both questions then make sure you visit the wonderfully atmospheric Merlin’s Cave, which sits directly below the impressive Tintagel Castle and next to the pretty Tintagel Beach.
For those who have been living under a rock and have never heard of him, Merlin, according to the legends of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, was a wizard. In reality, he is based on a number of real people from Britain’s past, including Myrddin Wyllt, who was born in about 540 and served as a king’s bard. But, in the Arthurian legends, Merlin was a key advisor to the king and an important figure.
Merlin may have once lived in the cave that sits below Tintagel Castle, according to those fascinating stories of old. This idea became famous following the publication of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s cycle of poems between 1859 and 1885, ‘Idylls of the King’. These poems retell the Arthurian legends, including one about the infant Arthur who is washed ashore at Merlin’s feet at ‘dark Tintagil by the Cornish sea’. Merlin raised the young king in some of the old stories.
Merlin’s Cave is a 330ft-long sea cave that has been formed over centuries of marine erosion. It goes all the way under Tintagel Castle, meaning that visitors can enter from one side before exiting out the other. On a rock near one of the entrances is Merlin’s bearded face which was carved by artist Peter Graham. The cave is only accessible at low tide and is worth exploring as much for the geology as it is for the imagination. Of course, your trip should coincide with a visit to the castle above but, just in case you don’t want to go in the ancient structure, just head down to Tintagel Beach and save yourself an entry fee. Now that’s magic.