Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens
ENTRY
from £3
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Birmingham
What it’s like
A walled historic garden with a maze, mud kitchen and ponds to poke about in, plus an archery lawn to explore.
There's a proper maze to get lost in, an orchard and vegetable garden to wander through, and an archery lawn if you fancy pointing them at something more active than another flowerbed. The Mud Kitchen and Ponds area is the one to save for last, it's built for nature exploration and the site's honest that it gets muddy, so wellies earn their keep here. Forest School activities run too, which suits kids who'd rather dig than admire the topiary.
Admission is £3 for a child and £6.60 for an adult, but the genuinely good bit is that all children go free on weekdays during school term times. Under 3s are always free. It's open Wednesday to Sunday and bank holidays, 10:30am to 4:30pm, dropping to 3:30pm in winter, and during school holidays it's often open all week.
The Courtyard Café does homemade cakes and cream teas, or you can bring your own picnic and spread out on one of the lawns, benches are dotted around too if you'd rather not sit on the grass. Parking's free with disabled bays close to the gates, and there's an all-terrain wheelchair for the parkland if the gravel paths and slopes in the walled garden are a worry. Worth knowing the toilets are basic, the site says so itself, and winter mud can make wheelchair access harder going in places.
Dogs are allowed on leads, so a family walk with the dog and a picnic afterwards works well here. It's not a big theme park day, more a few hours pottering, the maze, the mud kitchen and a slice of cake in between.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- Free on site with 3 disabled bays near entrance
- Food
- Courtyard Café with homemade cakes, locally made savouries and snacks
- Picnics
- Bring your own picnic or buy from café
- Wheelchairs
- Available for use. Level access to courtyard café
- Dogs
- Permitted on leads
- Getting there by bus or train
- 15 mins from NEC/Airport, 25 mins from Birmingham city centre, 5 mins from M6 Junction 5 Northbound, 15 mins from Junction 6 both directions
- Parties
- Themed experiences available for groups or teams
- Wellies are a good shout for the Mud Kitchen and Ponds area, it's genuinely muddy by design
- Term-time weekdays are free for all children, so that's the budget day to aim for
- Coach parking is available free, about 80m from the entrance
- Winter opening hours are shorter, 10:30am to 3:30pm
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£6.60 for an adult, £3 for a child aged 2 to 16, under 3s go free. Concessions are £5.50.
Is it free for kids at all?
All children go free on weekdays during school term times, which is worth timing a visit around.
Do we need to book?
No, you can just turn up during opening hours.
What are the opening times?
Wednesday to Sunday and bank holidays, 10:30am to 4:30pm, and 3:30pm in winter. Often open seven days during school holidays.
Is there anywhere to eat?
The Courtyard Café does homemade cakes, cream teas and savouries. Picnics are fine too, on the lawns or the benches around the site.
Is there parking?
Free parking on site, with at least three disabled bays close to the entrance gates.
Can we bring the dog?
Yes, on a lead.
Is it OK for wheelchairs and buggies?
There are wheelchairs available to borrow and an all-terrain one for the parkland, but the walled garden has gravel paths and slopes, and winter mud can make things trickier.
What about toilets?
There are toilets at the entrance and by the Mud Kitchen, both with disabled access, though the site itself describes them as basic.
Can you do birthday parties or group visits here?
Themed group experiences are available, and there's a venue hire option for larger events with a tent and furniture for 50 to 120 people.
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