Key facts
- Operator
- English Heritage
- Condition
- Ruin
- Access
- Free, open access
Pinpoint
White Hill, Berkhamsted HP4 1LJ
Telephone 0370 333 1181
Website www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/berkhamsted-castle
Possible Opening hours
Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.
| Monday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Thursday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Friday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Sunday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
Earthwork and flint ruins of a castle still technically owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, free to enter and open daily in the Hertfordshire town that grew up around it. There's little standing masonry, but the grounds are well-kept, with a walking trail around the whole site and information boards explaining what's missing. Visitors treat it as a picnic spot as much as a ruin - reviewers mention geese and ducklings on the grounds as often as the history.
Worth the trip
The model of the castle in the entrance lodge - the clearest way to picture what's now largely earthworks and low walls.
Before you go
Entry and the car park are free, and the trail loops the entire site, so budget more time than the ruin itself suggests; the village around it has plenty of cafes if you want to make a day of it.
Reviewers consistently enjoy this free castle ruin as a peaceful spot for a picnic or walk, with several highlighting the wildlife on site (geese, ducklings, and a notable display of red kites) and helpful information boards and a lodge model explaining its history. A couple mention that little of the physical castle remains, but this doesn't detract from a pleasant visit.
Managed with Berkhamsted Castle Trust; open daily
“Lovely ruins castle. The village around is lovelly with many shops and restaurants, cafes and local shops.”— Nil Romano, visitor review
