Merlin’s Cave, the most evocative part of Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, is on public land; discover the simple path to enter this 100-meter tunnel for free.
Tintagel Castle and King Arthur
Tintagel Castle on the west coast of Cornwall is one of English Heritage’s jewels in the crown. The much-storied clifftop castle is a ruin, but has such an evocative location and legendary status that it gets thousands of visitors a day in summer.
Much of this is due to Tintagel’s place in the tale of King Arthur. Arthur was supposedly conceived at Tintagel, although the castle dates back to the 13th century, several hundred years after the Arthurian legends were meant to have taken place.
Five great things to do while you’re in Cornwall
- 👻 Feel the chills in the abandoned cells on a hugely atmospheric tour of Bodmin Jail.
- 🌱 Explore the world’s largest indoor rainforest at the Eden Project.
- 🎬 Discover the Beyond Paradise filming locations around Looe on a specialised tour.
- 🐬 Spot dolphins, seals and porpoises on a RIB sealife safari from Padstow.
- 🏄 Hit the surf in Newquay with a two hour surfing lesson.
Tintagel Castle ticket prices
This popularity means that English Heritage can get away with charging frankly eye-opening entry prices for Tintagel Castle. When I went in August 2025, entrance cost £24.50 for adults and £15.50 for children.
You can save 15% on that by booking online, however.
I visited as a journalist, and was given free entry. Although, that said, this wasn’t necessary as I’m an English Heritage member and entrance would have been free anyway.
Is it worth paying for English Heritage membership?
Entry prices for English Heritage sites, including Dover Castle, Stonehenge and Tintagel Castle, can seem extremely expensive. This is clearly a deliberate ploy to push visitors towards taking out annual English Heritage membership.
Membership gives free access to more than 400 sites across the country, and costs £82. That is, unless you get a special deal – there was a 25%-off Black Friday deal in November 2025, for example.
Whether that £82 is worth it depends on how many sites are near you (there are lots in the south of the country, not so many near me in Yorkshire). And, critically, whether you’re going to visit them with children.
Each member can take up to six children with them free of charge. Given the steep one-time entry fees, an adult member with two children is likely to recoup the cost of their membership by visiting just two or three sites within the year.
For an individual without children, I’d say English Heritage membership is worth it only if you’re planning to blitz a few sites in one year. For an individual with children, membership is a smart investment that will likely pay itself back within one school holiday. To me, it’s a no-brainer.
The real question is whether it’s worth renewing English Heritage membership after a year. That’s debatable, as you’re unlikely to go to many of these sites twice. I eventually renewed after I was offered 20% off the price. I’ll probably recoup the membership price visiting two sites in summer next year, even if I’ve ticked off most of the best ones near me.
If you buy membership through this link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Is Tintagel Castle worth the money?
To me, £24,50 is a reasonable price to pay for an attraction that has a lot to it and keeps you interested for most of the day.
It pains me to say it, but this does not apply to Tintagel Castle. It’s in a ruined state, and most of the ruins are fragments rather than great rooms with a few stones missing.
The setting is undeniably stunning, and part of the joy in the visit comes from sitting down on the clifftops, watching the sea.
Alas, this is something you can do at many places in Cornwall without having to pay for it.
Tintagel Castle itself is underwhelming, and the signposting could be a lot better. There’s not a massive amount of information given about Tintagel’s history and – most notably – there’s hardly any detail about the Arthurian connection.
Merlin’s Cave
The best part of Tintagel Castle, however, is on the small beach down below. Merlin’s Cave is where, according to the legends, the conniving wizard Merlin lived.
Irrespective of that, it’s just a very cool cave. Or, to be precise, a 100 metre-long rock tunnel. You can clamber on through it, over rocks and through small pools, to West Cove on the other side. It’s visually impressive and great fun.
How to get to Merlin’s Cave for free
What many visitors to Tintagel don’t realise, however, is that you don’t have to pay the castle entrance fee to visit Merlin’s Cave. The English Heritage ticket price is for the castle itself, and Merlin’s Cave is on public land.
The English Heritage ticket booth is at the top of the path leading down to Tintagel Castle, but you don’t need a ticket to walk down the path.
Part way down, you’ll come to a bench, some bins and a sign with a map of the castle. Straight afterwards, there’s a fork in the path. The left fork leads to the castle, where you’ll need a ticket.
The right fork, signposted as Exhibition and Coastal Path/ Haven, leads down to the beach – Tintagel Haven. No tickets are required to go this way, and you’ll find Merlin’s Cave on your left once you’ve tackled the staircase down to the beach.
More Cornwall travel
Other Cornwall travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Can you park at the harbour in Polperro?
- Where can I hire a bodyboard at Perranporth Beach?
- How to behave around seals at Lizard Point.
- How much does the Fowey to Bodinnick ferry cost?
- Is it safe to swim at East Looe Beach?
