Top BBC Merlin Filming Locations in the UK

Merlin was one of the most popular TV shows of the 2000s and 2010s. Lead by actors such as Colin Morgan, Bradley James and Katie McGrath, it tells an updated version of the Arthurian Legends.

It aquired a large fanbase, that still continues to this day. It has found a new lease of life in the past few years, with many new fans joining the ranks. Which means there’s also lots of new fans wanting to know about BBC Merlin filming locations in the UK.

While the iconic Camelot castle is located at Chateau de Pierrefonds in France, Merlin also has some of the most beautiful filming locations in the UK. So, while you will have to travel a bit further to see the Camelot citadel, these can make for great days out and travel opportunities.

I had great fun visiting some of these Merlin locations as a teenager. So, I wanted to share them with you so that you can have great fun visiting them too.

Here are some of the top BBC Merlin filming locations in the UK, where the Merlin cast told the stories we know and love.

Table of Contents

• Forest of Dean
• Puzzlewood
• Speech House Lake
• Caerphilly Castle
• Clearwell Caves
• Cosmeston Medieval Village
• Brecon Beacons
• Ivinghoe Beacon
• Raglan Castle
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Forest of Dean

The Forest of Dean is a large forest found in the county of Gloucestershire. It spans over 110 square kilometers and is one of the remaining ancient woodlands left in the UK.

More often than not, if you see the characters in Merlin walking through a forest, this will have been shot in various locations throughout the Forest of Dean.

This makes it one of the top BBC Merlin filming locations in the UK. Any Merlin fan will know that this occurs in nearly every episode!

This is certainly a top spot for many scenes in which Merlin and Arthur have to escape the baddie of the week. It’s also common to see Katie McGrath’s Morgana plotting in the woods here.

While there are a few specific locations of note, much of the filming was done on various paths throughout the forest. So, it can be hard to pin down specific locations.

However, this does mean that, no matter where you go, it always has a distinctly magic Merlin-esque feel to it. You can easily picture Merlin out collecting herbs for Gaius!

You’re even able to see Colin Morgan and Bradley James messing around in the Forest of Dean in this Merlin Behind The Scenes video:

Check out my post on some of the Best Walks In The Forest of Dean for ideas of where to visit.

The next two locations on this list are also specific locations within the Forest of Dean.

Puzzlewood

Puzzlewood is one of the locations within the Forest of Dean, and might be one of the most fantastic places to visit in the entire UK.

It is a tourist attraction made up of ancient woodland and ancient natural cave systems.

Trees covered in moss, and twisting paths through towering rockfaces, this is the ultimate fantasy setting.

It’s even said to have inspired locations in J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord of The Rings!

Having featured in other films and TV Shows such as Doctor Who, Harry Potter, and Star Wars, it’s clearly the perfect setting for fantasy and scifi.

For Merlin fans, this is a great palce to connect with the magic and mystery of the show.

Here you will find the doorway to Morgana’s woodland hut, the bridge guarded by the gatekeeper to the Fisher Kings land, as well as the Valley of the Fallen Kings – a location that features in many of the best Merlin episodes.

This is an absolute must visit for any Merlin fan.

Check out the Puzzlewood website for visiting information.

Speech House Lake

Speech House Lake is another location within the Forest of Dean. However this is used for one very specific location – the Lake of Avalon. It has been used throughout the series, and features very often in the Merlin final episodes of the season – and of the show after all.

This includes in The Gates of Avalon, Excalibur, The Lady of The Lake, The Changeling, Lancelot Du Lac, and The Diamond of The Day Part 2.

That’s right, Merlin fans, this is the spot where those scenes took place. A good spot for anyone who is still upset about the way the series ended.

The lake makes for a nice walk. However, it’s not a day filler, so it may be a good idea to combine this one with another walk in the Forest of Dean. A nearby sculpture walk is a great option.

Caerphilly Castle

Caerphilly Castle is the largest castle in Wales, and a very impressive one at that. Whilst rather ruined, it makes for a great day out and a wonderful location to explore.

It features in one episode, Lancelot and Guinevere – meaning it’s perfect for any particular fans of these two characters.

Whilst this location doesn’t feature heavily in the show, it makes for a great place to visit.

There are large areas of ruins to explore and an interesting collection of moats and lakes surrounding them.

This is a wonderful spot to spend the day and immerse yourself in a great Merlin filming location.

This spot is so great, it’s even featured on our post about the Top 10 Castles To Visit In Wales.

Clearwell Caves

Clearwell Caves are a network of iron mining caves based, once again, in the Forest of Dean.

The caves featured in a number of Merlin episodes, including the caverns below Camelot in The Curse of Cornelius Sigan, the escape tunnels in Lancelot and Guinevere, as well as the cave interiors in The Last Dragonlord.

You might recognise it best as the location in Camelot where the Wildoren might be found.

All the filming took place in the areas open to the public, meaning you are able to see all the locations in these episodes. It also makes for a great adventurous day out!

Cosmeston Medieval Village

Cosmeston Medieval Village is a reconstructed 14th century village based in Galmorgan, about 5 miles away from Cardiff.

This was the location chosen for Ealdor – Merlin’s home village in medieval England. It features heavily in The Moment of Truth, as well as the later episode The Sword In The Stone.

Due to all the scenes here being shot on location, this really feels like a place where you can immerse your imagination into the world of Merlin and Ealdor.

It also makes for an interesting and fun day out to explore the houses, museum and rare breeds farm. It is certainly one of the most unique BBC Merlin filming locations in the UK

Brecon Beacons

The Brecon Beacons is a national park in mid-Wales and used multiple times throughout the Merlin filming.

It is used in The Tears of Uther Pendragon, as the knights search for Morgana Pendragon, as well as in His Father’s Son as the location for the battle.

Often, if the characters are on a quest or travelling to another kingdom, their journey will be filmed as a horseback ride through the Brecon Beacons.

Much like the Forest of Dean, these were filmed in various locations across the area so hard to pin down.

However, this is a great place to visit to immerse yourself in the world of Merlin. It is a great place with many walks you can go on to explore the location. This magic places is a great choice for the backdrop of the kingdom of Albion.

Check out my post on the Brecon Beacons to see some of the best places to visit.

Ivinghoe Beacon

While this doesn’t feature extensively throughout the show, I thought I’d include it as it is a rather significant one.

In fact, it’s only featured once throughout the entire show – the very opening to the first episode at the start of Merlin season 1. In fact, I believe it was used at the very start of the Merlin season 1 trailer, too.

It is the filming location for Merlin’s journey away from home and over the hill towards Camelot – the perfect introduction to the hero’s journey. We see Colin Morgan walking over the crest of the hill in a simple but effective scene.

This makes for a great place for Merlin fans to visit as it’s the filming location for the start of the entire show. It also makes for a lovely walk with some fantastic views too.

Raglan Castle

This castle is based in Monmouthshire and has been used extensively throughout the show, for some iconic scenes too.

It was used in series one one of the Merlin locations for The Isle of the Blessed for the big fight between Merlin and Nimueh.

Additionally, it was used in the Fires of Idirsholas as the location for Idirsholas where the spell on the knights is performed.

It also serves as a location in season 4’s The Darkest Hour Part One And Two, in which the characters hide from the Dorocha.

This location is a grand and ruined castle that is very picturesque and makes for a fantastic day out for any Merlin fan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where in the UK was Merlin filmed?

Much of Merlin was filmed at a studio in Cardiff. However, it also used many other locations such as the Forest of Dean, Puzzlewood, Caerphilly Castle, and Cosmeston Medieval Village.

Where were the outdoor scenes in Merlin filmed?

They were filmed in many Merlin locations, but most were in the Forest of Dean and Puzzlewood.

Is there going to be a new Merlin series?

Merlin came to an end in 2012. There are currently no plans for a new series.

Is there a Merlin movie?

No. While a Merlin film was floated as an idea by creators, it never came to fruition. However, there are plenty of other Merlin and Arthurian movies for you to enjoy outside of the BBC series.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are so many great BBC Merlin filming locations in the UK to explore. With many of them being located in the Forest of Dean and it Wales, you could even plan a multi-day road trip to fit in as many of the locations as possible!

If you want to explore more Merlin locations related to the legends of King Arthur, check out my post on Arthurian Locations in Snowdonia or even my guide to the magical town of Glastonbury (aka – the real-life Avalon).

As always, thank you so much for reading and I hope to see you back here again soon.

Ta-ta for now! x