Harewood Castle
SETTING
Outdoors
BUGGY FRIENDLY
Yes
What it’s like
A medieval castle ruin in the grounds with three adventure play areas outside and hands-on activities inside the house.
This one's really two visits in one. Outside, there's an Adventure Playscape split into three separate play areas, so you can let the kids loose while you find a bench and pretend to supervise. Inside the house itself, there's a family-friendly space built around hands-on interactive activities, plus creative workshops and exhibitions that change through the year, so a repeat visit in a few months won't look the same as this one.
Timing needs a bit of thought. Gardens and grounds run 10am to 6pm, with last entry at 5pm, but the House itself only opens 11am to 3.30pm with last entry at 3pm. If you fancy a proper look inside, that's a narrower window than you'd think, and it's easy to spend your first two hours outdoors and then find the house has shut for the day.
One genuinely annoying rule: prams and strollers are not allowed inside the House at all, they have to stay in the vehicle. There are hip carriers and pop-up prams to borrow instead, but only two and three of each, and they're not bookable. The site's also cashless, so leave the coin jar at home and bring a card.
Dogs are welcome on the lead in outdoor areas and even in the Courtyard Café servery, though they can't come into the House, the Terrace Café indoors, Woodland Wonderland or the Adventure Playground itself. For food, there's on-site catering plus a few recommended picnic spots dotted around, the Walled Garden and Terrace Garden among them, if you'd rather bring your own.
What’s on here
- WED7
Dusting in the Old Library
Free · 17 more dates
- WED7
Cecil Beaton: Staging Icons
11:00 · Free · 11 more dates
- WED7
Daily Talks
12:00 · 120 more dates
- THU8
Meet the Gardeners
Free · 17 more dates
- FRI16
In Conversation with David Lascelles
David Lascelles, 8th Earl of Harewood, talks about his new book on his family's history during the Second World War.
- SAT17
A Garden's Journey: Looking back, Growing Forward
1 more dates
- SAT17
Memories and Reflections from Harewoods Last Butler
1 more dates
- SAT24
Broomstick Making
Free · 8 more dates
- SAT24
Hocus Pocus Outdoor Cinema
Halloween open-air screening of Disney's Hocus Pocus under the stars at Harewood.
- SAT24
What's on at Harewood this October Half Term
8 more dates
- MON26
Mysterious Trees Talk
Free · 4 more dates
- FRI6
Snow Globe Trail
Free · 58 more dates
- SAT14
Lino Printing Christmas Cards Workshop
Festive lino printing workshop at Harewood with artist Megan Dobbyn, learning to carve and print a lino block.
- SAT28
Seasonal Candle Making Workshops
A seasonal candle making workshop with Wicks & Spritz at Harewood.
Facilities
Need to know
- Last entry
- 5pm for Gardens & Grounds. 3pm for House
- Booking
- Save with online price if bought before 8:30am on the day
- How long to allow
- Multiple hours for full experience
- Picnics
- Outdoor picnic area recommended: Three Parks Walk, Lakeside Path to Bothy Teahouse, Walled Garden, Terrace Garden
- Pushchairs
- Prams and strollers not allowed in House
- Wheelchairs
- Two stairlifts for State Floor and Below Stairs access
- Dogs
- Warmly welcomed in designated outdoor areas
- Parties
- Children's birthday parties available on bookable weekend dates throughout Main Season
- It's a cashless site, card payments only
- Only two hip carriers and three pop-up prams are available for the House, and you can't book them ahead
- The House keeps much shorter hours than the gardens, so see it before mid-afternoon
- Dogs can't go into Woodland Wonderland or the Adventure Playground even though they're welcome elsewhere on site
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
There's an online price if you book before 8:30am on the day, after that online tickets switch to the walk-up rate.
Do we need to book in advance?
Booking isn't required, though buying online before 8:30am gets you the cheaper rate.
What time does everything close?
Gardens and grounds run to 6pm with last entry at 5pm. The House closes much earlier, last entry is 3pm.
Can we bring the pushchair inside the house?
No, prams and strollers have to stay in the car for the House. They lend hip carriers and pop-up prams instead, but there are only a handful and you can't reserve one.
Is it OK for a toddler?
The outdoor Adventure Playscape has three separate play areas to explore, and there's a family-friendly interactive space inside the house too.
Can we bring the dog?
On a lead in the designated outdoor areas and the Courtyard Café servery. Dogs can't go into the House, the Terrace Café indoors, Woodland Wonderland or the Adventure Playground.
Is there food on site?
There's on-site catering, and if you'd rather picnic there are recommended spots including the Walled Garden, Terrace Garden and the Lakeside Path to the Bothy Teahouse.
Can cards or cash be used?
Card only, it's a cashless site.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
There are two stairlifts for the State Floor and Below Stairs, manual wheelchairs are provided, and electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters are allowed up to a combined weight of 300kg. Staff may refuse entry if a mobility vehicle is too large to navigate safely, and carers go free.
Do you do birthday parties?
Children's birthday parties run on bookable weekend dates through the Main Season.
How long should we plan for?
A full visit taking in both the grounds and the House runs to several hours, though the House's shorter opening window means you'll want to head there earlier in the day rather than later.
Is anything closed at the moment?
The House shuts Monday to Thursday from January to March, and different areas close briefly through the year for conservation work or exhibition changes.
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