There is a tourist information centre in the Tintagel Council car park which is known affectionately as "the lemon squeezer" (you'll know why when you see it). You can get a "Tintagel Village Trail" leaflet from there (70p) for a 2 hour historical walk around Tintagel. Alternatively there is an audio guide for a historical walk around Tintagel on the BBC website.
There are a number of restaurants and cafés in Tintagel and plenty of pubs:
- Tintagel Arms, near King Arthur's Hall (opposite side of the road, about 100 yard on the left if you are at the roundabout facing King Arthur's Hall).
- The King Arthur's Arms, opposite the Old Post Office
- The Cornishman Inn, by the turning to the Vicarage
- The Woottons, by the track to Tintagel Castle
- The Malthouse, opposite The Wootons
- Camelot Castle Hotel also has a public bar. Carry on past the turning to the castle and follow the road to the end.
The modern-day village of Tintagel was known as Trevena until the Post Office established 'Tintagel' as the name in the mid 19th century (until then Tintagel had always been the name of the headland and of the parish). In Norman times a small castle was built at Bossiney; Bossiney and Trevena were established as a borough in 1253 by Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall who built Tintagel Castle.
Tintagel Old Post Office is a 600-year-old Cornish Longhouse set in cottage gardens. It was built in the 14th Century when Tintagel Castle belonged to the Black Prince. In the 19th century the house was used as the district Post Office. For over 100 years it has been owned by the National Trust.
King Arthur's Great Hall was built in the 1930's by a custard millionaire whose company is thought to have invented "hundreds and thousands". The halls of chivalry are built from 53 different types of stone. 72 stained glass windows by Veronica Whall (a pupil of William Morris) tell the story of King Arthur and show the Coats of Arms and weapons of the knights. Over two hundred million people have visited the Halls since they opened in June 1933.
More or less opposite King Arthur's Great Halls is Granny Wobbly's Fudge Pantry where Tim makes fantastic home-made fudge on a slab in the shop and offers free tastings.
Directions by car
Turn left onto the B3263 and follow it. It comes out at a roundabout in Tintagel. Just before this there is a car park in a field which is a cheap place to park. If it's wet and you don't fancy parking in a field, there is also a cheap car park opposite the (less cheap) Council one if you turn right at the roundabout.
Directions on foot
Head up the lane next to the post box opposite Park Farm, take the second left (Trenale Lane) at the crossroads. This comes out in Tintagel at the Catholic Church near Bossinney. Turn left to head into the main part of Tintagel. For some alternative routes, walk from Park Farm to St Materiana church and go into Tintagel via the Vicarage.