Marmion Tower

What it’s like

A small riverside gatehouse tower in West Tanfield you can climb and wander round for free, near Ripon.

This is a medieval gatehouse tower right by the river in West Tanfield, the sort of thing you can stop at for twenty minutes on the way somewhere else and let the kids clatter about inside. There's no set trail or activity laid on, it's just the tower itself to explore, so it suits kids who are happy poking round old stone stairs and window slits rather than expecting hands-on exhibits.

Entry is free, though there are tickets involved. You don't have to book, but the site says booking online in advance gets you a discount and guaranteed entry, and you can still book on the day if you'd rather turn up and sort it there, just without that discount. Under-fives don't need to pay but can have a free infant ticket, and anyone aged 5 to 17 needs a child ticket. They don't take bookings over the phone.

Opening hours shift with the seasons, 10am to 6pm through the summer months, dropping back to 10am to 4pm over winter, so a late afternoon visit in January could catch you out. There's on-site food, though it's not the kind of detail you'll base a whole day out around. Parking is a fifty pence honesty box at the village hall, which is easy enough to miss if you're not looking for it.

One thing worth flagging: there are no public toilets in West Tanfield itself.

Facilities

Need to know

Parking

£0.50 honesty box at village hall in West Tanfield

• Booking online ahead of time gets you a 15% discount, turning up on the day doesn't
• No public toilets in West Tanfield, so sort that before you set off
• Parking is a 50p honesty box at the village hall, easy to walk past if you're not looking
• Hours are shorter in winter, down to 10am-4pm from November to March

Plan your visit

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