Ravenscraig Castle

What it’s like

Free medieval ruins by the sea to walk round, though you can't get inside and there are stairs and slopes to manage.

This is an outside-only visit. The castle itself is closed off, so what you're doing is walking the grounds and looking at the ruins from the outside, which is fine for a curious kid who likes old stone walls but won't satisfy one who wants to climb turrets and peer through arrow slits.

Getting around takes a bit of effort. The site sits on embankments with stairs down towards the moat, and the drawbridge is currently closed, so you can't do the full loop you might expect. Not one for a buggy, and if you've got a toddler who needs carrying up and down slopes, factor that in before you go.

It costs nothing to get in, which is the main thing in its favour, and parking at Ravenscraig Park is free too. It only opens April to October though, 10am to 4.30pm daily, with last entry half an hour before closing, so this is a fair-weather plan rather than a year-round one.

Given there's no interior to explore, most visits will be short, probably an hour or so depending on how much the kids want to scramble about outside. It's a good stop if you're already in the park rather than a destination to plan a whole day around.

Facilities

Need to know

Last entry

30 minutes before closing

Parking

Free parking available at Ravenscraig Park

• The drawbridge is currently closed, which limits how much of the site you can loop round
• Parking at Ravenscraig Park is free
• Closed November through March, so it's a spring and summer visit only
• Expect stairs and sloped paths rather than flat walkways

Plan your visit

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