birthday greetings

1. Happy Birthday!

2. Before you set the place on fire

3. take a break to look at

4. your next summer home.

5. Alnwick Castle
Owned by Ralph Percy,
Twelfth Duke of
Northumberland, Alnwick
Castle has stood in one
form or another for a
thousand years. Once a
mighty military fortress, it’s
now available to visit!
Surrounded by lush
gardens and decorated
with period furnishings, it’s
one of Britain’s most well-preserved
castles.
www.alnwickcastle.com

6. Caernarfon
Castle
This intimidating castle was
built—well, commissioned—
by Edward I to stand as a
mighty fortress in North
Wales. His son, the first
English Prince of Wales, was
born here in 1284. Open to
visitors year round.
www.caernarfon-castle.co.uk

7. Chillingham Castle
Here’s another Northumberland
stronghold of King Edward I. From
here he launched an attack on
William Wallace in 1298. The castle’s
beautiful gardens were designed by
Sir Jeffrey Wyatville, the famed
designer of the gardens at Windsor
Castle, in the 1800s. Today,
Chillingham is said to be haunted far
and wide, and many visitor events
revolve around paranormal research.
Open for non-ghost hunters too.
www.chillingham-castle.com

8. Hever Castle
Hever’s original castle
gatehouse and bailey were
built in 1270. Later this
magnificent structure
became the childhood
home of Anne Boleyn,
wife to King Henry VIII and
mother of Queen
Elizabeth I. Marvelous
period furnishings have
been restored and are on
exhibit here in the castle’s
many rooms. Open for all.
www.hevercastle.co.uk

9. Castell Coch
The “Red Castle” was built in
the 1870s to resemble a
medieval fortress, but as
Wales is lousy with castles, it
happened to be built upon
the remains of an actual
medieval fortress. Historians
estimate the original
structure was founded by a
Welsh lord in the mid 1200s.
Located near the Welsh
capital of Cardiff, Castell Coch
is open year round to visitors.
cadw.wales.gov.uk/daysout/c
astell-coch/

10. Leeds Castle
Heading south to Kent, we
discover a getaway of King
Henry VIII and his first
wife, Catherine of Aragon.
A 900-year-old fortress,
Leeds Castle has been
home to six of England’s
medieval queens. Today,
the castle hosts year-round
activities, feasts,
and celebrations. Tour the
grounds, the interior, and
even an underground
grotto and a real yew-tree
maze.
www.leeds-castle.com

11. I’d love to give you all of these, or even
one, but instead the best I can do is to
wish you the best of birthdays and the
sincere hope that someday you are able
to visit these wonders.

12. And as the Celts like to say …

13. Sláinte agus saol chugat!

14. (Health and long life to you!)

15. Photo Credits
Blue candles on birthday cake: Joey Gannon / via Wikimedia Commons and this Creative Commons license
Alnwick Castle: Richard Croft / via Wikimedia Commons and this Creative Commons license
Caernafon Castle: By Albertistvan (own work) / via Wikimedia Commons and this Creative Commons license
Chillingham Castle: Andrew Curtis / via Wikimedia Commons and this Creative Commons license
Hever Castle: By Charlesdrakew (own work) / via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Castell Coch: Andy Dingley (own work) / via Wikimedia Commons and this Creative Commons license
Leeds Castle: Misterweiss / via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Skyshow at Adelaide: Alex Sims / via Wikimedia Commons