Visited this castle on the last day of my holiday, and spent an enjoyable couple of hours here. A short but steep walk from the quayside, the castle consists of two main buildings, separated by a wooden bridge, the foundations of an earlier Roman fort, and railway arches. You have to visit the Black Gate first, because it's where you buy your tickets, in a small gift shop at the top of a flight of stone steps (there's a lift if you can't manage stairs). Adult admission is £12.50, it's £8.20 for a child, £11.25 concession. I bought an interesting little guidebook for £4.95, and there are also audio guides. The girl at the ticket desk was really helpful, telling me all about what there was to see and how to get to it. Useful to know that the only toilets in the castle are here too! The Black Gate, built around 1250, was the main gateway to the medieval castle. There's an upstairs exhibition in a former guardroom with artefacts, crafts, and lots of information about Newcastle's long and eventful history, but there's not a lot else to see. Far more interesting for me was the 12th century keep. The well-preserved rooms, on three floors reached by spiral staircases, include a great hall with medieval decorations and a large stone fireplace, a cellar, a Norman chapel, prisoners' cells, medieval toilets and a small room with a well. There are interesting passages and recesses to discover, but also a lot of steps not advisable for anyone with mobility issues to attempt. Plenty of fascinating info about the castle's history and royal connections, a few artefacts, and fun activities that included drawings for children to colour in and medieval board games, and friendly staff around to show me how to play them! But the highlight for me was the spectacular view from the roof! Accessed through an iron door at the top of a spiral staircase, it's a fantastic 360 degree panorama of Newcastle and all its best landmarks, from the Cathedral and Grey's Monument to the Tyne bridges, as well as the trains that were constantly passing below. Wonderful photo opportunities! All in all, a great way to spend the afternoon. Well worth a visit!