Pendragon Castle

The remains are fragile and potentially dangerous, so keep to the ground around them rather than the fabric itself.

• A short walk around the outside of the ruin, taking in the shape of the old fortification and its earthworks.
• Photographs, with the fells as a backdrop in most directions.
• Views along the valley and toward the river.

The Arthurian association is local legend rather than established history, and there is no evidence of a castle here before the 12th century. The first recorded fortification was an early-12th-century ringwork, with a stone tower added later. Sir Hugh de Morville was a notable owner. Scots attacked and burned it in 1341, and Roger de Clifford restored it in the 1360s. John Leland found it in use in 1539, but by 1541 it was falling into disrepair. Lady Anne Clifford rebuilt it after 1660, adding a brewhouse, bakery, stables and coach house. After her death in 1676 it was neglected, and it was later stripped for building materials.

Footwear you do not mind getting wet, since the ground is grassy, uneven and often damp or muddy. Bring your own water and food, and take litter away with you: no toilets, water, food, bins or visitor centre are provided here. Keep dogs close or on a lead as a livestock precaution.

The visit itself is brief and entirely outdoors, with nothing in the way of facilities and very tight parking. Longer walks on Wild Boar Fell or along Mallerstang Edge are separate outings that need their own planning.