Situated just outside York in the Howardian Hills, Castle Howard is one of Britain’s finest stately homes. Spend happy days exploring magical woodland paths, picnicking by the lake and discovering flowers and wildlife in the Walled Garden.

About Castle Howard

For over 300 years, generations of the Howard family have welcomed visitors to Castle Howard, one of the great palaces of Europe. Enjoy a ride on the land train through the grounds to the lakeside play area and let off steam on the swings, slides, towers and bridges of the high-energy Adventure Playground.

Cross the ropebridge to Skelf Island treetop adventure. Discover the House at your own pace, admiring its awe-inspiring architecture and interiors, with something to capture everyone’s imagination.

The Gardens

Spend the day in a monumental landscape studded with statues, temples, lakes and fountains and admire sweeping countryside views across the Howardian Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Take in the stunning scenery all year round, with almost 1,000 acres of Grade 1 listed parkland and gardens to explore. Have a relaxing time browsing the shops and cafes, including farm shop, gift shop and garden centre.

The Atlas Fountain

Castle Howard’s Atlas Fountain was always conceived as the centrepiece to the elaborate parterre laid down to the south of the house in the 1850s. This massive piece of Victorian sculpture and engineering was a collaboration between four men: the 7th Earl of Carlisle, landscape gardener William Andrews Nesfield, sculptor John Thomas, and engineer James Easton.

Skelf Island

One of the newest additions at Castle Howard is Skelf Island, a treetop adventure across the dormant water of the Great Lake. For centuries the Skelves have inhabited a secret world, over the water from Castle Howard, causing mischief and mayhem high up in the trees, interacting with birds and protecting wildlife. Now they have become curious about the humans that visit and want to explore and play with them.

Ingenious treetop nest structures connected by rope bridges, slides, nets and climbing equipment will allow the Skelves to take young visitors on an adventure like no other. There’s no age restriction, just a brave restriction!

Feature Films and Costume Dramas

Castle Howard has featured in both large and small-scale film and television productions from ‘Lady L’ with Sophia Loren in 1965 and ‘Barry Lyndon’ directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1975, to the iconic ‘Brideshead Revisited’ in 1981 and 2008, the BBC’s ‘Death Comes to Pemberley’ in 2013, to more recently ITV’s ‘Victoria’ and the Arctic Monkeys ‘Four out of Five’ Music video in 2018.

Food and Drink

Enjoy your own picnic at the tables near the children’s playground or visit the nearby Boathouse Café which serves snacks and drinks. On warm days, pay a visit to the ice cream kiosk or enjoy a sweet treat from the Coffee Shop in the Stable Courtyard. Alternatively, pick up a ready-prepared lunch box from the house Fitzroy Restaurant or choose from the children’s menu at our Courtyard Café.

Events at Castle Howard

Castle Howard runs an extensive calendar of events. One of the most popular events is the Castle Howard Proms, set in the magnificent Gardens of Castle Howard, this spectacular classical concert will be a night to remember for the whole family.

Admission Tickets

Choose from Gardens Only Tickets or purchase a combined House and Gardens Ticket. Click Here to Purchase your tickets online from the official Castle Howard website.

Castle Howard is one of the many attractions fantastic attractions in and around the city of York included with York Pass.

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Travelling to Castle Howard

Castle Howard is just 15 miles North East of York and is easily accessible from the A64 which connects Leeds, York and the Yorkshire Coast. The network of bridleways and quiet lanes in the Howardian Hills makes cycling a great alternative greener option for travelling to Castle Howard.

Travelling by Train

Malton is the nearest train station to Castle Howard and York is the closest major train station. Both stations have buses running directly to Castle Howard and taxis are also available from both stations.

Nearby Accommodation

There are lots of places to stay in and around the city of York. Find hotel accommodation at Hotels.com or Travelodge are always a good option for budget hotel accommodation.

If you prefer self-catering, check out some of the lovely places to stay on the outskirts of the City of York on Snaptrip.

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