Where: Aberystwyth, Wales Cost To Enter: Free Hours: Open year round
Date I visited: June 29, 2013
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My Perception:
As we approached this castle, I turned to my sister-in-law and said: “This is my favorite kind of castle. There is enough of it left to enjoy, but not enough left for anyone to be able to rationalize charging an entrance fee.” Castle ruins right on the ocean, and no entrance fee? This castle earned stones from me right away.
Like my impression of Aberystwyth as a whole, I saw this as a very playful castle. Literally- there were people actually playing football (soccer), and there were people riding bikes inside the castle.
Right out side the castle there is a miniature golf course and a playground that was shaped like a pirate’s ship. This play area is lined with very old gravestones. I’m quite positive that they are no longer marking actual graves any more, but they are a well kept and predominant part of the park. To me, that is better than having them hidden and deteriorating, but in their “proper places.”
I loved how these castle ruins seemed like they were very much part of life in this city. If I lived in Aba, I am sure that I would wander through the castle ruins once a week or so for a picnic lunch, a Bronte-eque moment with the sea wind blasting rain into my face, or even just a simple walk that I would count as “exercise”.
Grade: Because of its playful mood, fantastic ocean view, and effective integration in town life, I give Aba’s Castle 4.5 out of 5 castles.
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I fell in love with Welsh castles the first time I locked eyes on one in 2003. It’s been 10 years, and castles and I are still in out honeymoon phase! This post is part of a series called Castles in Wales. My goal is to visit (almost) all of the castles in Wales. I aim to “review” one castle a month. Keep track of my progress here.
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In Love With the World 
I saw the last photo on your about page and I knew immediately that it was Aber! I studied there from 2006 to 2010. Absolutely beautiful and I used to love walking along the seafront and through the castle 🙂
I love Aber! My sister and law went to Uni there and I got to visit her a few summers ago. It was amazing! She said that sometimes the sea would get so violent that it would chuck rocks (via the waves) at the buildings on the promenade. Did you ever see this happen?
The rocks were certainly thrown on land while I was there but as I lived up the hill, I never saw it. Some crazy people would go down to the sea front during storms. Naturally, some people died that way and there’s a story that at a certain time, you can the ghost of a young woman walking into the ocean where she died!