You’ve perhaps heard of Downton Abbey or not; but its this mega hit show from ITV (its on PBS in the U.S.) that is filmed at a Castle named Highclere Castle located in beautiful West Berkshire [pronounced Barksher] county in England. Highclere is the home of the 8th Earl & Countess of Carnarvon. Check out their Facebook page.
As I was visiting friends in Reading, only 26.4 miles from the Castle, I had to visit. I wanted to go the last time I was here last year, but did not have a chance to make it. Now was the time.
We fueled up and set out. The drive was just so beautiful; this area of the country is exceptional. It was all so green.
After about thirty minutes, we came upon our exit and after a shorter drive crossing the motorway, we arrived at the site.
I had already checked the tickets site and noticed that there were no tickets available for the entire year! They were actually closed today opening on 13 April 2014. You can check their visitation schedule here. Keep checking back as they release tickets from time to time. Also, there is a Castle Tour and a Garden Tour, so read careful before you book and buy. If all else fails, you can visit Highclere Village which is nearby.
Although it was disappointing, it was cool to be there as I’m a big fan of the show. Plus the countryside and surrounding towns are so beautiful, it was great to get out and see it all.
So I have no pictures of the Castle, but I can tell you that it reminds me a Castle I once visited in Ireland.
How To Get To Highclere Castle
After finding a great fare using my airfare search engine to get to London. Find a hotel using hotelscombined and get settled in. Then head out to the Castle for a day trip the next day. It’s about 1:16 minutes drive from Central London; total distance is 66.6 miles. You may also take public transit from London Paddington; but the place is out in the country side, so you have to take a taxi for part of the journey. Take the number for the taxi so you can call them back :-). It’s almost a 4 hour journey. There is a local road on which you can walk after taking a bus as well if you so desire.
Are you a fan of the show? Ever visited the Castle? Leave a comment below and let me know.
