Visiting King Alfred's Tower - The real life Rapunzel's Tower!
Welcome to my blog post on visiting the real life Rapunzel's Tower - King Alfred's Tower in Somerset, England.
Keep scrolling for more info on how to get here, how to find it and how long you should spend at this enchanting place.
About King Alfred's Tower
This enchanting tower in the south of England can be referred to as the real-life Rapunzel's Tower!
King Alfred's Tower is a folly located on Kingsettle Hill in Somerset, England and now belongs to the National Trust.
Built in the early 1770s, the tower was designed to commemorate the end of the Seven Years' War against France and the accession of King George III to the throne. As well as an eye-catching piece of architecture for those who visited the parkland of the Stourhead Estate.
This triangular tower has a hollow centre and can be climbed via a spiral staircase in one of the corners of the tower. And at 49 metres high, you can enjoy 360 views from the top - and on a clear day you can even see across Somerset, Wiltshire, and Dorset.
Visitors can climb the tower for a small fee - although it's not a quick trip up with there being 205 steps to the top!
So - what is a Folly?
A folly is basically an ornamental building with no practical purpose and are normally built in a large garden or park.
How to visit King Alfred's Tower in Somerset, England
How to get to King Alfred's Tower
By Car
For Sat Nav directions, use postcode use postcode BA10 0JS
Parking
There is a FREE car park just a 5 minute walk from the tower.
By Foot
Alternatively there is a circular walk from Stourhead which takes you through the woodlands to King Alfred's Tower. The walk takes approx. 2 hours and is 5.5 miles, for the full round trip.
Going up King Alfred's Tower
Access up the tower is only available by paid admission. However the surrounding grounds are open to the public daily, all year round - And is completely FREE!
King Alfred Tower Opening Hours
- Spring & Summer (April – September): Saturdays and Sundays, usually open
- Autumn & Winter (October - March): CLOSED, due to bad weather conditions
We actually visited King Alfred's Tower in July 2020 - during the times of 'Coronavirus'. Therefore the tower was closed and we never got to go up, so we enjoyed the views from our drone instead!
Check out National Trust website for current updates on opening hours and further visitor information on the Stourhead Estate.
Comment below if you have any questions, and I'll be in touch soon! Or get in touch online here.
Helen x
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