Bolton Castle

A must see if you’re in the Dales! There’s so much to do here, the castle is full of history, you can almost feel it seeping out of the walls as you walk around. Many of the rooms are still intact, but a lot is ruined including the dungeons. There is a walk up to the rooftop with stunning panoramic views. We visited in the summer and the gardens were incredible, with foxgloves and colours surrounding the maze, it’s a great place to spend a sunny afternoon. The aviary was full of interesting birds, and the keeper was very knowledgeable, informative and engaging during the falconry show. Cakes and ice creams in the shop opposite make it a wonderful place.

We had a great time, our second visit, last here in 2020. It was windy today so the owl display was taken indoors but still excellent. Some great views from the castle and nice grounds to walk round. If you want to venture further there are a couple of public footpaths starting from the castle grounds. Enjoyed seeing the wild boars.

The Castle Bolton adventure begins about 10 minutes before you arrive! As you wend your way up the road towards the castle you get glimpses of this impressive monument to medieval building through the trees. Suddenly, you find yourself at the foot of this huge stronghold's walls and driving right in front of it and into the carpark (carparking is not included in the entrance fee, so don't forget to pay at the machine!) Atmospheric, incredibly well maintained and curated medieval space. Plenty of information available, beautiful views of breathtaking Yorkshire countryside and a marvellous tearoom with a huge roaring fire which was very welcome on a wet, wild and windy Tuesday in October. Savoury food selection was limited to baked goods and not extensive but of excellent quality. (Cups of warm soup would have definitely gone down well at this time of year). Cake offerings were wonderful and definitely not limited. We didn't find many choices for gf people, if any really though, which could easily be sorted with a bit more thought as the other produce was really good quality overall, so their bakers are protalented enough enough to adapt some recipes. A decent slice of pie with a bit of lettuce costs £5.00 and 50p extra for chutney, quiche was about the same. Sausage rolls a little cheaper. Cakes were around £3 -£4 per slice but generous portions. Lunch for three people came out at around £10.00 per person on average which is pricy for basically a slice of pie or a quiche or sausage roll and a packet of crisps and a drink. It was then a further £6 - 7 per person for a cup of tea and a cake later on. So, if you've got a few kids with you, I'd definitely take packed lunches and spend the tearoom money on purchasing something from the excellent gift shop. We invested in the children's activity bags, which are exceptionally great value both during and after the visit. Very reasonable entrance fee and the activities included were interesting and fun. The falconry/archery person was really interesting and other members of staff informative and knowledgeable. The maze kept us well occupied for quite some time! The Mary Queen of Scots connection is well explored too. It was also Halloween week so the castle was suitably themed and decorated accordingly which was good fun, with dressing up opportunities, pumpkin trail and lots of ghoulies and ghosties hidden around the space. We absolutely loved it here and had a super experience overall. It's easy to see why this place regularly receives visitor attraction awards! Plenty of well maintained toilet facilities too including in the car park. It was also very good for physical fitness and working off the tea room calories! There are lots of steep steps, winding staircases, and opportunities to walk around everywhere. When I got home I was amazed to find I'd easily completed more than 12,000 steps exploring this ancient and beautiful place! Highly recommended 👍💟

We stopped by this castle in the middle of a long hike and were delighted to find that the gardens, cafe, and some of the interior are free to access for those passing by! There is a P&D car park with free outdoor toilets and an adorable herd of wild boar. They are very friendly to visitors and so cute. 🦮✅These areas are also dog friendly, although the main ticketed interior museum is not dog friendly. If you have a dog, there is a "dog friendly" area of the cafe just for you. The staff were very friendly and brought us water and treats too! ☕️ The cafe offers oat milk and has a wide selection of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free cakes and drinks. Everything is clearly labelled and gluten free food is separated.

£48 to go in for a family of 4. £5 to park so we parked in the village for free. The people doing the show and talks were really great (archery/ owls / Mary queen of Scot’s). Kids LOVED the maze. The gardens are really well kept. We bought some herbs. Great day out. The owl aviaries seemed a bit bland and could have done with some more enrichment but owls seemed happy and in good health. Really well kept castle. Would recommend. Also great views from the top.