Fonmon Castle is a castle and visitor attraction in the Vale of Glamorgan, less than a 30-minute drive from the centre of Cardiff.
It’s one of those places that you’ve probably heard of but have never visited. The name often creeps up in conversations, especially around half term breaks and summer holidays for their special events, so you’d be surprised to learn that it’s open almost all year round, offering plenty to do on the weekend.
Having never visited before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. We visited on a weekday during the Easter holidays, just ahead of their medieval weekend. Despite it not being one of their event days, there was plenty of things to see and do.
In fact, you see very little of the castle itself (unless you want to). Fonmon Castle is set in the grounds of a 350-acre estate in the Vale of Glamorgan. It is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery that Wales has to offer, and its owner, Nigel Ford, plans to keep it that way.
One of the castle’s most popular attractions is an interactive story trail with a strong Welsh theme. Children get to follow the adventures of Fon and Mon in Welsh and English as they track down a dragon who’s been wreaking havoc in the area.
Along the way they can make loud noises on woodland instruments, spot fairies and solve the mystery of why the dragon is causing so much trouble. The castle’s wonderful wizard is also on hand, offering prizes to those who can answer a very important question.
The castle boasts some incredible Victorian gardens, and if you are lucky enough, you can even find the Madhatter sitting down for tea with Alice in one of them.
Arguably, one of the biggest draws of visitors is the dinosaur park. There are multiple trails, including some that are accessible and others offering shorter or longer walks around the estate if you’re up for it.
You will find plenty of dinosaurs along all these routes, with many if not all life sized and very impressive. There are also plenty of picnic benches and stop off points, offering incredible views whilst you stop for lunch.
Along the river, you will discover the Pirates’ Adventure Centre and play area. They say it’s rooted in real local history too. In the past, the river was navigable and took ships all the way up to Penmark, passing Fonmon Castle on the way. Pirates’ smuggling activities were heavily focused on the nearby Blue Anchor pub.
In addition to day visitors, they also welcome school and university groups to take part in conservation activities.
Looping around the estate returns you to a relatively new area, the Medieval Village. They recently welcomed back live animals to the small farm enclosure after Covid, and plan to add more in the future.
The village is also home to local traders, who sell a range of wares including dinosaur toys and fossils, local gifts and magical fairy items.
If you’ve not brought lunch with you, Fonmon Castle offer a range of hot meals available to purchase. Unfortunately, recent stormy weather damaged their tepee eating area, so they have temporarily rented an apache helicopter hangar that you dine inside of. However, you won’t be alone, and you’ll need to keep an eye on those mischievous dinosaurs roaming around.
The land adjacent is used for the castle’s many events, including this weekend’s horseback and combat displays by the Plymouth Medieval Society. There will also be have-a-go archery sessions as well as demonstrating awesome feats of marksmanship, and leading medieval history expert Nick Coles will be sharing his huge knowledge on medieval medicine, giving all the grisly details about 14th Century surgery.
I believe this to be one of south Wales’ hidden gems and is a must visit for families of all ages. They are always enhancing what’s on offer, so no doubt you will find something new every time you visit.
