This tours endeavours to untangle Dark Age fact from medieval fiction in Britain’s biggest historical enigma: King Arthur. Based out of our hotel in Taunton we start at Cadbury, an iron-age hillfort refortified in the Dark Ages, which could have been Arthur’s HQ. On our second day we travel to the coastal castle of Tintagel, one of the most dramatic historic sites in the country situated on a rock above the crashing waves below, and location of Arthur’s birth. Here we examine the remains of a Dark Age palace which once traded with the Byzantine world. Stopping at nearby Slaughter Bridge we consider what is thought to have been the site of the great warrior’s last battle. We also visit Glastonbury where we see the site of Arthur’s supposed grave as revealed in 1191 and later enhanced by Edward I, himself a great Arthurian. The tour crosses into South Wales, to see Roman ruins which Arthur would have known and may have inspired the legend of the Round Table, as well as immersing ourselves in the culture of the early Dark Ages. Finally we visit the area around Bath exploring the Wansdyke, the Hadrian’s Wall of the South, which may have delineated the battle site of Mount Badon, Arthur’s crushing victory over the Saxons. We climb Solsbury Hill, the possible site of this battle, and finish our tour at Dyrham, the site of the Saxons’ revenge.

Whether a historical figure called Arthur existed has been a fierce topic of debate but there may well have been an ancient Romano-British leader who stood up to invading Saxons in the late 5th to early 6th centuries. Ninth and tenth century sources link Arthur to the Battle of Badon where he is said to have killed 960 of his foes single-handedly. However, doubt has recently been cast on the reliability of these sources and whether a historical Arthur has been constructed through later additions. It is remarkable how Arthure is not mentioned in any manuscript dating between 400 and 820.

Arthur’s place in British mythology has been embellished by several texts including the collection of Welsh songs known as The Gododdin (6th century), Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain (1130s) and the works of Chrétien de Troyes (late twelfth century), who established the legend of the Arthurian court and his coterie of knights. With Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d'Arthur in the fifteenth century the romantic legend of Arthur had been sealed.

Historical figure or folklore hero - for many it doesn’t matter. King Arthur remains one of the nation’s most celebrated heroes and the sites connected with him the most fascinating and compelling locations from the murky world of post-Roman Britannia.

Day 1: Arrival and Cadbury Castle. Assemble at Taunton hotel midday for buffet lunch and introductory talk. We then travel by coach to Cadbury Castle, a large Iron Age fort reoccupied in the fifth century AD with evidence of an extensive Great Hall, and regarded as a strong contender for Camelot. If Arthur had control over the southwest, then this would have made a perfect strongpoint against attacks from the east. Hotel in Taunton – 4 nights. (L, D)
Day 2: King Arthur and Cornwall - we drive from Taunton westward into Cornwall to explore the area’s rich associations with Arthur and marvel over its dramatic and mysterious landscapes. We start at what must be the most well-known and evocative of Arthurian sites, Tintagel. A major political centre in the 5th century AD, Tintagel was, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth, the site of Arthur’s conception, and its breathtaking location and sense of mystery has embedded it in Arthurian folklore for centuries. Passing through the market town of Camelford, considered by some to be another contender for Camelot, we stop at Slaughter Bridge which could have been the site of the decisive Battle of Camlann in 537 AD where Arthur defeated, but was mortally wounded by, his nephew Mordred. A sixth century memorial stone here, inscribed in Latin and the Ogham script, is traditionally linked to the battlefield. We finish our day at the eerie Dozmary Pool on Bodmin Moor where Sir Bedivere/Bedwyr is said to have thrown the sword Excalibur back to the Lady of the Lake. (B, D)
Day 3: Glastonbury - today we visit Glastonbury, a town replete with Arthurian legend, where in 1191 monks rediscovered what they believed to be Arthur’s and Guinevere’s grave in the Abbey. Glastonbury soon became a centre for Arthurian lore including the quest for the Holy Grail. Whether Arthur ever frequented the town or not, a visit allows us to engage with the ‘cult’ of Arthur which is so important to this fascinating story. (B, D)
Day 4: Celtic lands and the end of Roman Britain - we cross into Wales to visit the Roman Legionary fortress of Caerleon where we gain an insight into the dying days of the Empire and the febrile era during which Arthur emerged. The site was thought by Geoffrey of Monmouth to be the location of Arthur’s legendary court of Camelot and its still well-preserved amphitheatre, the site of the 'Round Table'. We return to Chepstow Castle, an imposing Norman presence above the River Wye where, according to legend, Arthur and his knights are said to be sleeping in a cliffside cave below. (B, D)
Day 5: the search for Mount Badon and departure - on our final day we drive to the outskirts of Bath to view part of the Wansdyke, the Hadrian’s Wall of the South, before moving to Solsbury Hill, an iron-age hillfort, which may have been the site of the Battle of Badon. Here in c. AD 500 Celtic Britons under Arthur’s leadership defeated the Anglo-Saxon invaders. At nearby Dyrham we visit the site of the Saxon’s revenge over the Britons in AD 577. Return to Taunton station and hotel (customers can also be dropped at Bath station). Tour ends. (B)