Fodor's Expert Review Dunstanburgh Castle

Perched romantically on a cliff 100 feet above the shore, these castle ruins can be reached along a windy, mile-long coastal footpath that heads north from the tiny fishing village of Craster. Built in 1316 as a defense against the Scots, and later enlarged by John of Gaunt, the powerful Duke of Lancaster who virtually ruled England in the late 14th century, the castle is known to many from the popular paintings by 19th-century artist J. M. W. Turner. The castle is a signposted 1.2-mile walk from the nearest parking lot in Craster. While Dunstanburgh is run by English Heritage, it's owned by the National Trust, so membership with either organization will get you in for free.