Castles of the Day

Today's post is inspired by Melissa Snell's great Castles of the Day site on About.Com

Here are some of Cardinal Wolsey's favourite castles:

1. Hermitage Castle , Northumberland, U.K. (pictured). In the middle of nowhere, forbidding, impregnable. Don't even think about attacking it.

2. Threave Castle (aka Thrieve Castle), Castle Douglas, S.W.Scotland. Built by Archibald the Grim. Ring the bell and the boatman comes to row you across to the island where it stands. Get him to wear a cloak and hood for full Styx effect.

3. Fort Ticonderoga, Lake Champlain, USA. Site of four bloody battles in the French and Indian War, and the American Revolution. A must-see if you are in the area.

4. The Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town. The oldest structure in South Africa. Get a real perspective on the origins of this beautiful if edgy place.