Warkworth Castle
ENTRY
from £9
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Warkworth
What it’s like
A cross-shaped keep to explore with five guided trails and an audio tour, plus a hidden hermitage down the river.
The keep is the thing here, that odd cross shape you can actually walk round with an audio tour and five separate trails to follow. There's a World Builder trail too, where kids build their own bit of forest, which is a nice way to get a six or seven-year-old looking at the landscape rather than just the stonework. If you've got a child who likes a story with their history, the Percy family saga is laid on for you as you go round.
Budget an hour or two, no more. It's not a huge site to wander, and with an audio tour and trails to get through, two hours is realistic before attention spans start to wander with it. Last entry is 4:30pm, gates shut at 5.
The Hermitage is the bit to save for last, and the bit that catches people out. It only opens Sundays and Mondays, 11am to 4pm, and tickets are capped at six people every half hour, booked on the day only. Turn up early if you want in, because there's no way to reserve it ahead of time.
Booking online saves you 15% if you do it by midnight the day before, otherwise you're paying full price on the day, whether you book online or just walk up. Access to the castle itself is limited in places, though the grounds are easy enough to get around, and the Duke's Rooms only open on certain days in summer, so that's one to check if it's the reason you're going.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Good for school-age kids who'll get through an audio trail; under-fives go free
- Last entry
- 4:30pm
- Booking
- Advance booking saves 15%. Book online by midnight the day before
- How long to allow
- 1-2 hours
- Worth knowing
- Book advance tickets and save 15%
- The Hermitage can't be booked in advance, it's on the day only and caps at six people per half hour
- Duke's Rooms are summer-only and not open every day
- Advance online booking has to be done by midnight the day before to get the 15% saving
Plan your visit
Do we need to book ahead?
You can just turn up, but booking online by midnight the day before gets you 15% off. Walk-ups pay full price.
What ticket do we need for the kids?
Under-fives go free, though you can still get them a free infant ticket. Anyone 5 to 17 needs a child ticket.
How long should we plan for?
Most people are done in one to two hours.
What about the Hermitage?
It's only open Sundays and Mondays, 11am to 4pm, and only six people can go every half hour. You book on the day, so get there early if you want a slot.
Can we get in everywhere on site?
The grounds are easy to get around, but access to parts of the castle itself is limited. The Duke's Rooms only open on certain days in summer.
What time do we need to arrive by?
Last entry is 4:30pm, with the site open from 10am daily.
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