Castle Cornet is an amazing place to visit, so much history but also great views, dressing up for kids, the firing of the noonday gun, endless places to discover and cannons around every corner! It’s a definite favourite of ours and must-see if you are visiting Guernsey.
Location
Castle Cornet is located in Guernsey’s capital, St Peter Port, and as you drive into town you will see the imposing sight of the castle at the end of Castle Pier.
Parking spaces line Castle Pier and around the Model Yacht Pond at the end, though they can fill up quickly in the summer. On one side of Castle Pier is a raised walkway that leads all the way to the Castle. It’s a safe wide path for kids to run along and it has beautiful views back towards St Peter Port and over the cliffs of St Martins.
The Castle
Entry to the castle is through the little gift shop. We have bought a Discovery Pass for £20, giving us 12 months entry to Castle Cornet, Guernsey Museum at Candie, Fort Grey Shipwreck Museum and the German Naval Signals HQ and all children go free. Normal entry to the castle for adults is £10.50, so the Discovery Pass is great value for money if you plan to return within the year.
The castle is geared up for children, however, pushchairs are not allowed and need to be left at the shop. Back carriers can be borrowed from the shop, but remember you will need to carry everything with you.
There are often activity sheets for children that they get given at the entrance. My girls really enjoy the Children of the Castle Spot-It sheet, it contains images of 8 children to find around the castle. These are a big hit and motivate my girls to find everyone on the sheet, sparking lots of shrieks when they spot a picture in a window!
The castle site is so much bigger than you might imagine with loads to see whether it’s cannons, formal gardens, German defences (particular favourite of the girls is the small gun turret at the South Battery), beautiful views and 4 museums.
The museums are included with your admission and they are The Story of Castle Cornet, 201 Squadron (RAF) Museum, Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Museum and the Royal Guernsey Militia Museum. There are often free children’s activity sheets relating to items in the museums, these can be picked up in the gift shop on your arrival.
Another thing my girls are fascinated by, is the clock tower, because the inner workings of the clock are on show, plus a large bell.
Dressing Up
At the base of the clock tower is a dressing up room, such a lovely addition for the kids. The room holds quite a few medieval costumes for both boys and girls to try on, and kids are allowed to wear the costumes around the castle and return them when they have finished.
Picnics
We always spend quite a while on the lawned area in the inner ward. My girls love making up stories and enjoy sitting on the low stone walls. This is a great picnic spot, either on the grass, or on the benches dotted around the edge of the lawn.
Noonday Gun
The firing of the noonday gun is a must-see for any visit to the castle and takes place at the Royal Battery. The guards put on a bit of a production, firstly, 2 guards march to the gun, they have a look through a telescope for enemy ships and once they confirm the coast is clear, the gun is fired, boom! It is so loud!! Best to take ear defenders if you have a child sensitive to noise, even as an adult, I wasn’t prepared for the volume!
The guards stay around for photographs afterwards, and on our first ever visit, they were such good sports as one of the guards swapped his hat for Tilly’s cat ears! After the firing of the gun, there are Living History presentations from the Guernsey History in Action Company lasting 20-30 minutes.
Craft Room
There is a large room in the castle that is used for craft activities during special events, often during school holidays. These are well worth a visit when they are taking place as there is always a large selection of crafts on offer for children of different ages, and they are included in the admission price.
Cafe
The Castle Refectory is open daily throughout the season for coffees, light lunches, snacks and ice creams, it’s also full licensed so you can have a cheeky wine with lunch!
Castle Cornet really is a must-see attraction when in Guernsey. There is more than enough to keep any family thoroughly entertained, whether you have a whole day to spare or just a few hours. Keep an eye out on our What’s On Guide for special activities happening at the castle as they have music nights and family events during the summer.
Address
Castle Cornet, Castle Emplacement, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 1AU
Opening Times & Prices
Castle Cornet is open 10am-5pm daily (9:30am-5pm July and August) from March until 3rd November. Admission: Adults: £10.50, Children (7-18yrs) and Students: £3, Children under 7: free.
