Travel test
WHAT: An overnight stay at Warwick Castle in a Warwick glamping tent in the Knight’s Village, breakfast at the Knight’s Village Restaurant, exclusive evening entertainment, car park and a day at the castle. From £299 for a family of four sharing.
Day tickets to the castle from £20 per person. Kids under three go free. warwick-castle.com WHERE: The 12th century castle and Knight’s Village are nestled on the edge of Warwick, a mile from Warwick railway station, with direct services into Birmingham Snow Hill or London Marylebone. EXPERIENCE: We arrived just in time for the outdoor War of the Roses live show. It’s a crowdpleaser for all ages and our boys loved jeering and cheering as a horseback battle commenced, complete with jousting knights, pyrotechnics and fake deaths. We took a packed lunch to the banks of the River Avon in the castle grounds then marked our spot on a hillside to watch the highlight of our day – The Falconer’s Quest, where goliath-sized birds swoop so low they practically clip you.
From there, via a brief detour to buy swords for the kids (an absolute must-have), we climbed the turrets and toured the castle’s great hall before darting off into a brilliantly interactive
Horrible Histories Maze, which has just opened in a new zone called Vile Victorians. Then one for our four-year-old – collecting stamps in a booklet as we unearthed characters on the Zog and the Quest for the Golden Star trail.
Check-in to our glamping tent, after 4pm, was seamless. The kids made friends with neighbouring families and continued their sword fighting until two knights appeared to host them all for the evening. Our eldest was knighted Sir Ollie and taught to fight (as if he needs much practice). It was a welcome break for us as we put our feet up, tucked into a huge buffet (just over £20 per head for adults) and a glass of wine. The tent itself was fit for a king – a double bed with two singles, and that all important plug socket. QUIBBLES: The overnight package would benefit from including a two-day pass to the castle as there’s so much to do. VERDICT: Staying in a regal tent and evening entertainment made for the perfect “knight” away. 9/10