TINTAGEL, England -- Storms and gusting winds have chiseled away at
this corner of southwestern England for centuries, but the legends that
inhabit the area still loom large.
The rocky headland near the village of Tintagel has become so entwined
with the legend of King Arthur that its true history seems almost
incidental, despite a collection of rough stone foundations and listing
walls that hint at its rich past.
According to various poems, stories and popular myths, it was here,
at the fortress of a Cornish duke, that King Arthur was conceived.
Later versions of the story say Arthur was born at the site and may
have lived here for a time.
There's no question a medieval castle was built at Tintagel by
Richard, Earl of Cornwall, a younger brother of King Henry III.
Tantalizing remnants of that structure -- crumbling stone barriers and
doorways -- are still visible.
But regardless of its history, real or imagined, Tintagel offers
remarkable glimpses of sheer cliffs that stand tall above the sea.
The massive outcropping is almost an island, connected to land only
by a narrow and deeply eroded passage. For travelers willing to hike
dirt paths and climb long flights of wooden stairs that curl up the
cliffs, the visual delights are many.
Those who make the trip to Tintagel can wander the crags and
dizzying cliff tops, stalk the ghost of King Arthur and soak up the
salty air and scenery for its own sake.
You can also tour what is believed to be the inner courtyard of
Richard's castle and peer down at a sandy inlet where ships once were
loaded with cargo.
Robert Tremain, a site supervisor for the preservation group English
Heritage, which manages the site, explained that a mixture of lime and
sand was occasionally applied to the walls of the ruins to protect
them.
"You can tell the way the weather has been beating at this," he
said, pointing to pitted areas amid the slabs of slate. "The elements
are always there. It's the natural erosion from the sea and the storms."
Daniel Lovering, The Associated Press, April 11, 2007
