Eastnor Castle Review: Is it Worth Visiting With Kids?
I visited Eastnor Castle with gifted tickets. We have also been as paying customers on multiple occasions before and since.
If you’re looking for a family day out in Herefordshire, is Eastnor Castle worth visiting? We’ve visited Eastnor Castle with children and found there’s far more to do than simply look around the castle. From the adventure playground and obstacle course to the beautiful grounds, lakeside walks and seasonal events, it’s a day out that can easily keep a family busy for several hours. It’s also unusually dog friendly, with dogs welcome inside the castle as well as in the grounds.
Eastnor Castle Review: At a Glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Location | Eastnor, near Ledbury, Herefordshire |
| Best for | Families, outdoor adventures and dogs |
| Recommended age | All ages, depending on activities |
| How long to allow | Half a day to a full day – we have visited on several occasions and easily filled a day with kids of various ages. |
| Dogs | Yes – extremely dog friendly, including inside the castle. |
| Food | Tearoom, ice cream and picnic areas |
| Our verdict | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Eastnor Castle Grounds
In the castle grounds, children can be knights and princesses, challenge themselves on the knight’s obstacle course, ride on mini Land Rovers, play in the adventure playground and enjoy the woodland play area. There are beautiful walks down by the lake and there’s even an area for dogs to go off the lead.
We arrived at Eastnor at around 11.30 am and didn’t leave until it had closed at about 4.30 pm. Even then, we didn’t feel that we’d done everything and could easily have had another whole day there without getting bored. As soon as we arrived, we headed for the obstacle course, then went up to the lawn where the Knight’s school was going on.
Is Eastnor Castle Dog Friendly?
Yes, Eastnor Castle is a particularly good option if you’re looking for a dog-friendly day out in Herefordshire. Dogs are welcome in the castle grounds and, unusually, they can also go inside the castle, so you don’t have to leave your dog behind while you explore.
There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors with your dog, including the extensive grounds and walks around the estate. The combination of open space, woodland and beautiful scenery makes Eastnor Castle a great choice if you want a day out where the whole family, including the dog, can come along.
As with any attraction, there may be some areas or activities where dogs aren’t permitted, so it’s worth checking the current rules before your visit. But if you’re looking for a dog-friendly family day out near Ledbury, Eastnor Castle is well worth considering.
For us, the fact that dogs can accompany you into the castle as well as enjoying the grounds makes Eastnor Castle stand out from many other family attractions.
A word of warning: One of my dogs (who will remain nameless) TOTALLY embarrassed me here. As we walked out of the castle, he saw fresh air and thought he was outside. He was not. He peed somewhere completely inappropriate. Keep an eye on your dogs as you leave to avoid the WORLD of embarrassment I encountered.
Knight’s School
When we arrived, it was storytelling time at knight’s school. We sat down and had a picnic lunch while we listened to historically accurate stories told in an animated and interactive way by a very convincing knight. It was a great way for the girls to start learning a bit about history and when the storytelling finished, things only got more exciting.
The Knight taught all the children to joust on a hobby horse. Both girls were delighted to get involved and it was a great way to learn about knights and jousting. After that, the Knight kitted up in his armour and told them all about it and what each part was for. Then it was time for sword fighting with foam swords. The whole thing was brilliant and we really struggled to drag the girls away.
Inside Eastnor Castle
We eventually managed to coax the children away from Knight’s school to have a look around the Castle itself. The castle has been a family home for many years. As well as opening to the public, it is available to hire for weddings and corporate events. Libby was particularly excited to look around the castle, and chatted to the guides about who had lived there and visited in the past.
The castle interior is incredibly grand and fascinating for children and adults alike. When we’d had a look around inside, we walked around the exterior of the castle and took in the beautiful views of the Malvern Hills. As well as the castle grounds there is a lake and deer park, where events take place throughout the year. This includes Landrover discovery days, a chilli festival and the Lakefest music festival. There’s a particularly fun Santa and Drive event at Eastnor Land Rover.
The verdict
We unfortunately ran out of time to explore the lake and deer park but I have done so on numerous occasions in the past and it is truly breathtaking. The thing I loved the most about our day at Eastnor was that virtually all the activities were based outside. It was great to spend the whole day out in the fresh air and the girls loved it. There is a tearoom and ice cream parlour there, but there are also picnic benches. We treated ourselves to some coffee and rather excellent cakes from the tearoom and the girls had ice creams. But other than that we didn’t spend any money as we brought a picnic.
With a family ticket for the castle and grounds costing just £28.00 it’s a very reasonably priced day out with no added extras. If you’re sad to have missed Knight’s school at the castle, check out their website for other events. Next week it’s circus skills!
Eastnor Castle FAQs
Yes. Eastnor Castle is a great family day out, with plenty to keep children entertained beyond exploring the castle itself. There is an adventure playground, an obstacle course and lots of space to explore in the grounds. Depending on the season, there may also be additional activities and events.
I would allow at least half a day at Eastnor Castle, although you can easily spend most of the day there. When we visited, we arrived at around 11.30am and stayed until closing, and we still didn’t manage to do everything.
Yes, Eastnor Castle is extremely dog friendly. Dogs are welcome in the grounds and can also go inside the castle, making it a particularly good option for a family day out with your dog. There are plenty of walks and outdoor space to enjoy too.
Yes, dogs are allowed inside Eastnor Castle as well as in the grounds. This is one of the things that makes Eastnor Castle stand out from many other family attractions if you’re looking for a dog-friendly day out.
There is plenty for children to do at Eastnor Castle, including the adventure playground and obstacle course. They can also explore the castle and its grounds, walk around the lake and enjoy the different activities and events that take place throughout the year.
Yes, there are areas where visitors can enjoy a picnic, making it easy to bring your own food for a family day out. There are also food and drink options available at the castle if you don’t want to bring everything with you.
Some of Eastnor Castle can be enjoyed indoors, including exploring the castle itself, but many of the activities and attractions are outdoors. I’d therefore check the weather before visiting and take appropriate clothing if rain is forecast. We have been on both rainy and cold days but with the right clothes, we’re happy to be outside in any weather. We did choose to look around the castle when the rain was torrential!
Yes, particularly if you’re looking for a Herefordshire family day out with plenty to do. We found there was enough to keep us occupied for most of the day, and the combination of the castle, activities, playground and extensive grounds means it offers much more than simply a visit to a historic building.
