Warwick Castle and new Zog Trail the perfect match

Whenever visiting the castle, where ever you look children are dressed up as a Knight, prince or princess.

It all adds to the fun of the visit. The children love playing sword fights with their pretend weapons, especially after attending Knights School, which never fails to give the adults watching on the sidelines a bit of a laugh too.

My wife, Kelly, six-year-old daughter Annabelle and I were all invited back to the castle for the launch of the new Zog and The Quest for the Golden Star.

The concept is simple. Children – and adults, if they so wish – follow a Zog trail picking up the skills needed along the way to become a fully-fledged dragon.

Those familiar with the story, which has become a staple of Christmas TV in recent years too, will recall how Zog struggles to master the essential dragon arts of flying, roaring and breathing fire.

So visitors to the castle are tasked with following in his footsteps and learning five tasks that mirror his own lessons.

These include flying high without actually leaving the ground, testing out fearsome roars and learning to capture a princess.

Children collect a stamp at the end of every task and finally join Sir Gadabout’s Knight School where they pick up a gold star before finally meeting the 'real' Zog and posting for a photo.

When we visited on Saturday, a lot of the castle was still closed, which was a shame because my mom and her partner had also visited for the day.

We couldn't go inside the castle and the usual The Falconer's Quest was not on either, obviously all due to government restrictions, but somehow five hours still flew by.

It was great to see all the families out and about, enjoying the scenery and sunshine. In fact, it was nice just to see people out and about in general.

All the staff were as helpful as ever and we even managed to enjoy an alfresco beer in the peacock garden, which was a real treat.

The views from the top of the castle are always so stunning and as we were blessed with lovely weather many families were just enjoying a picnic and playing games.

It was a real family affair and we were still able to walk around the Horrible Histories maze and were even treated to small show, which include a battle with swords along the castle walls.

Annabelle always loves it there and she was very happy playing in the gardens, learning how to become a dragon – especially the fourth challenge, which involved a small assault course – and having another bash at Knight's School.

It was an entertaining day, despite the restrictions, so once everything really starts opening up again there will be a lot to squeeze in.

The Zog activity trail is available everyday until September 5 and is included in the price of an entry ticket.

Zog short breaks are also available for families who might like an extra special overnight stay in the Knight’s Village.

Accommodation includes cosy wooden lodges or medieval glamping tents where children are tasked with finding special Zog goodies before settling down for an exclusive story time.

Families will hear all about Zog and his adventures, read by one of the castle's brave Knights or captivating princesses, as well as spending time with Zog himself before bedtime.

Storytime with Zog is exclusively for short break guests who book a package and stay before July 22.

Further information about future events at the castle, visit warwick-castle.com