Castle Howard

Really lovely day out at Castle Howard albeit a rather hot one. Really easy to park and get a validated pre paid ticket. Reception staff were very helpful and gave me a map. I went straight to the house as it was much cooler inside. Picked up my free audio guide. No need to press buttons as the equipment knows what room you are entering. All audio clips are short enough for you not to get bored! One new hat and an ice cream later I’m in the grounds heading to Ray Wood which has a very well sign posted walk, then onto the walled garden. The boathouse serves some nice looking pizzas and has a children’s adventure park. You can add on a ticket for the arboretum and jump on the free shuttle bus if you have time. All in all a lovely day out for £27.00.

We visited on 29-4-26 and had a glorious day. We walked in grounds and round the lake and the views and weather was superb. The staff were so friendly and cheerful they helped make the day. We bought lunch from the cafe and sat outside to eat. I am a Brideshead Revisited fan and so the long planned visit was a dream fulfilled

Came here on a coach excursion to see the Christmas displays in the house, and had a really fabulous time! The long drive along a narrow lane through the snowy Castle Howard estate was a wonderful introduction to our visit. There was ample parking, and a very helpful lady to greet us, point us in the right direction and hand us all a map and leaflet about this year's Christmas events. There was also a land train to take us up to the house and the stable courtyard, where we found a café, toilets, farm shop and garden centre. Had a lovely festive lunch in the marquee café - a creamy turkey and bacon pie with mash, roast carrots and parsnips, followed by a large mince pie and a cup of tea. Quick service and attentive staff despite it being very busy, and a lovely festive atmosphere too. There was a Christmas shop next to the café with lots of pricey but high quality gifts, toys and decorations. Entrance to the house is up a long flight of stairs, but there's a stairlift for anyone with mobility issues. Spectacular all year round with its vast Great Hall, painted dome, and state rooms filled with beautiful furniture and art, Castle Howard had been transformed into a Christmas wonderland. This year's theme is "Wonderful Wizard of Oz", and our immersive self guided tour took us on a fantastic journey through rooms filled with animated installations, music and sound effects, and beautiful trees and decorations, meeting Dorothy and all the amazing characters she encounters in the land of Oz. There was a warm log fire in the Great Hall, and friendly, enthusiastic guides all along our route who chatted to us and shared their knowledge. The tour ended in the peaceful (and very ornate) chapel. Afterwards I enjoyed a lovely cake and a hot chocolate with Baileys, followed by a stroll in the garden with its impressive (and frozen) Atlas Fountain. I've been to a few Christmas displays at Castle Howard over the years, and I'd say this one is the best so far! A magical experience and a great day out for children and adults alike!

It's a shame I have to review the house and gardens together, I would have given the gardens a much higher rating, but I feel unable to rate the house any higher. Firstly there is the high ticket cost, £27 per individual adult, this is in the higher end for most stately homes, as a result I was expecting more than is offered inside the house. The rooms are not particularly attractive and do not offer interesting or beautiful artifacts to look at. There are a lot of statues and busts, many of which are not labelled or identified in any way. There are quite a few wall murals type paintings, again several on the stairs had no information about them. The rooms are very dark, I know this is to protect the fabrics and fittings from UV damage, but nevertheless it did feel a bit miserable and even though the number of rooms available to view are very few, I was very much looking forward to getting out of there and back into the daylight. I visited with three other people, and we were all agreed it wasn't worth the entrance fee. The grounds and gardens are a completely different experience, we visited on a beautiful sunny day and had a great time exploring the grounds, temples, lake, woods and fountains. I am a keen birder and the woods are packed with so many bird species, I loved it. The walled gardens are superb, really big and maze like, really well thought out, lots of lovely quiet places to sit and some amazing plants, I would have given the garden five stars, but unfortunately the house lets it down.

Beautiful Castle. Was good to go back in time and learn about the history of the castle. Beautifully decorated with past artifacts and walking trails with stunning Rhododendrons