Burleigh Castle

What it’s like

A free ruined tower house you can wander round for half an hour, open April to September only.

There's not much to explain here because there's not much there, in a good way. A ruined 15th-century tower house standing on its own, with a bit of wall and an old doocot still hanging on next to it. No entry fee, no ticket desk, you just turn up and have a look round.

It only opens for half the year, April through to September, 9:30am to 5:30pm, and last entry is 5pm. From October to March it's shut completely, so this is one to save for the warmer months rather than a wet February plan. Given it's free, the site still asks you to book ahead if you want to guarantee getting in, which feels like a lot of ceremony for a ruin nobody's queuing outside, but that's what they say to do.

The real snag is getting there. There's no car park on site, and they're clear that parking on the roadside nearby isn't a good idea either, so you'll want to have sorted out how you're actually arriving before you commit to the trip. Once you're there, it's a quick wander, maybe half an hour, unless you've got a kid who wants to poke around every bit of old stone, in which case let them.

Don't expect anything beyond the castle itself. No café, nothing to buy, just the ruin and whatever imagination your kids bring to it.

Need to know

Last entry

5pm

Booking

Book in advance to guarantee entry

Parking

No car park on site. Roadside parking not recommended

• Closed completely from October to March, so plan your visit for the warmer half of the year
• Booking ahead is suggested even though entry is free
• No car park on site and roadside parking isn't recommended, so work out your route in first
• There's nothing to buy on site, so bring your own snacks and drinks

Plan your visit

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