E.V.A: Ravenwood Castle

Located at the southeast tip of Ohio, a stone’s throw from the West Virginia border is a castle and medieval village. This may be something you would expect to find amongst the deer trails and farms in Europe, but not in Ohio.

Situated at the end of a winding drive on the top of the hill is Ravenwood Castle. Prior to my arrival at the castle I thought that maybe it was a building with a castle-like façade but it is in fact, a stone castle. Ravenwood Castle is a Bed and Breakfast located in New Plymouth, Ohio and it is more than just a castle. It is a sanctuary in the woods almost frozen in time. There is no cable, no cell phone reception and the only thing streaming is the creek behind the buildings in the Fairytale village. There are a few modern conveniences in some of the rooms including hot tubs as well as televisions with DVD/VCR units.

 
The castle has 3 floors and seven rooms. The rooms are the Rapunzel, Queen Victoria, King Arthur, Empress Matilda, Duke and Duchess Guest Room, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke’s Dungeon. The Duke’s Dungeon is appropriately located in the basement just off the pub area and has a bed with working stocks! Like the dungeon, each of these rooms offer their

Ravenwood Castle on a misty morning

own special features including garden tubs and two person Jacuzzis. There is also a library with comfy chairs and an ample supply of books for your reading pleasure during your stay. Also located in the library is a small TV/VCR unit and a supply of VHS tapes. The VHS tapes may seem archaic to some, but if you go to a bed and breakfast to watch television maybe this B&B isn’t for you.
Our stay was outside the castle in The Frog Prince Cottage in the Fairytale village. This 3 room cottage was quite basic with a bed, a dining room table, a couch, a refrigerator and a microwave. The Frog Prince also has a shower and is the only cottage with a screened in porch. The color scheme is purple and green (green for frogs and purple for royalty I assume) which isn’t as ugly as it sounds. The Frog Prince was comfortable and quite a perfect getaway for a romantic break.

 
The other cottages in Fairytale village are The Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Hansel and Gretel. These cottages are roomy and can work for either families or a couple that likes a little room to spread out. These cottages are out-of-the-way and are a hike from the main building. The hike is not that far but is quite steep at points so if you have mobility issues it is not the walk for you.

 
Closer to the castle is the medieval village. The accommodations in the village are the Woodcutter’s Cottage, Silversmith’s Hours, Merchant’s Cottage, Clock Tower, Spinster’s Cottage and Cinderella’s Coach House. There are also two gypsy wagons available to rent which are glorified campsites if you wish for a more rustic experience. The village also has several shops and a tea room that serves food and tea from 11-3pm daily. The tea house

Playful Pan in the garden

has a limited menu that includes sandwiches, salads and a plate with scones, tea sandwiches and tarts. You get your choice of tea to accompany the plate which are your basic fare such as Earl Grey, English Breakfast and a selection of fruit teas. The ambiance of the Tea Room is set by the décor and the classical music that plays in the background. The food is not gourmet but enjoyable and the experience is a nice way to relax after your late morning hike.

 
The grounds around the castle offer paths for an afternoon stroll, a giant chess/checker board and cats. While snapping a few pictures of the statue of Pan that stands watch over the neatly trimmed hedges we met the local feline guardians of the castle grounds. These cats, we were told, were strays that were dropped off some time ago. The trio consisted of a beautiful black male and two calico females; one of which was very pregnant. We were told that the cats were skittish around human so using my “cat whisperer” skills I was able to pick up the mother-to-be and give her the attention she was craving. I was tempted to take her home to ensure her kittens a good home but she was adopted by one of the other guests and whisked away to Michigan to live the life of a spoiled house cat. The two that were left behind would continue to be fed and cared for by the staff so nothing to worry about regarding them.

 
As for the castle staff they were attentive, helpful and very welcoming. I have never met friendlier lodging employees in all of my travels. The people we met were quite genuine and made us feel more like we were visiting a distant relative’s home than staying at an establishment. When we arrived the first person we met was Diane who directed us to our

The Silversmith's House

cottage. As she told us how to get where we needed to be she said, “You would not believe how many people wind up back on 93 and can’t find the cottages.” We assured her that her directions were good and we would have no problem getting back down the hill and to the Frog Prince. We were wrong. Once we were back on 93 we decided we might as well drive into town to get a bite to eat and worry about getting to our cottage later. So if Diane gives you directions it is a sharp right, otherwise you will be back on 93.
Speaking of food there isn’t really any place close by to get dinner. We traveled into the small town for bar food. The town has a supermarket, two “Dollar” stores, a diner, Goodwill and the aforementioned bar. The next closest town is Logan which is about a 20 minute drive and offers a Wal-Mart as well as several dining choices. A suggestion for your

The Library

stay at Ravenwood is to bring snacks, bottled water and your alcohol of choice. Any alcohol you bring can not be consumed in public areas at the castle but any beer or wine that is served at the pub can be consumed anywhere. The pub nights are Friday and Saturday and run from 7-9pm. There are several types of wine and beer to choose from and it is a perfect opportunity to meet other guests. Snacks are also available but are limited to small bags of chips and Hostess cakes. There is also a selection of games in pub for entertainment as well as a dart board. The dart board is for plastic tip darts so if you have your own darts bring them along. The pub is not loud or overcrowded as bars tend to be; it is a laid back atmosphere.
The breakfast side of the Bed and Breakfast at Ravenwood is served from 8-9:30am daily. Breakfast at Ravenwood consists of seasonal fruit, granola, homemade muffins daily and some type of casserole. While we were there we were served a French Toast bake that could be described as a dry bread pudding loaded with berries served with warm Maple syrup. I am not a bread pudding fan but this was quite good and filling. Our second day the casserole was a pancake and sausage bake which was not as good as the French Toast but still good. Looking at the board we noticed some of the other breakfast choices that are served on a rotating basis are Corned Beef Hash and a broccoli quiche. I am looking forward to sampling those on my next visit.
Ravenwood Castle also hosts special themed events such as murder mystery weekends and Christmas with Henry VIII so there is a little something for all tastes. Check out their website for specials and upcoming events including a New Year’s Eve party. When planning your escape into the past you do not have to limit yourself to warm weather since Ravenwood Castle is open year round. We had a great time I would recommend taking a trip back in time and visiting Ravenwood Castle where for a few days you can be treated like royalty. I know the next time I go to Ravenwood I will be bringing my Renaissance garb just so I can play and take tons of pictures. The staff told me that people often bring Renaissance garb so if you choose to do so you will not feel out of place.

Upper Falls

Ravenwood Castle is located in Hocking Hills and is a 10-15 minute drive to many popular attractions including Old Man’s Cave and Ash Cave. Old Man’s Cave is called such because of Richard Rowe who lived in one of the recesses until his death. The walk to Old Man’s Cave offers several trails for hiking and if you can traverse uneven terrain and do a bit of climbing I highly recommend venturing to see the cave. The walk to Old Man’s Cave offers a trek through two tunnels and past a basin known as the Devil’s Bathtub. Sharp eyed hikers will also be able to point out the Sphinx Head which was formed by years of erosion.
For those who do not want a difficult march the walk to Ash Cave has a path that is paved and is normally handicapped accessible. Currently the bridge is being replaced so Ash Cave it is temporarily inaccessible for those in wheelchairs. If you can negotiate mildly irregular ground, getting to Ash Cave should not be a problem. If you opt to walk the trail that takes you to the rim of the valley back to the parking lot there are some extremely steep points and difficult areas so be aware.
The scenery in this area is beautiful and quite breathtaking for a city boy such as me. The drive on the winding roads is almost as much fun as the hiking. Due to the high hills, at one point I put the car in neutral and coasted up and down several peaks, even achieving

The beauty of nature

speeds well over the speed limit. Sometimes the journey is as much fun as the destination.
So if you need to get away to someplace that isn’t your everyday type of hotel, Ravenwood Castle is a destination you should plan to visit. Check out their website for more information.