County guide · The Castle Rolls
Best castles in Cumbria
14 castles in Cumbria, from Carlisle's centuries as one of Britain's most besieged border fortresses to the Lake District's quieter ruins.
Map
Every castle on this list - 14 in total, 6 free to enter, 4 you can stay overnight in
Wray Castle
Cumbria
Victorian mock-Gothic castle; closed for refurbishment until 2027
Photo: James@hopgrove, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Sizergh Castle
Cumbria
Medieval pele-tower house; NT now brands it Sizergh
Photo: Christopher Down, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Carlisle Castle
Cumbria
Working border fortress with roofed keep
Photo: David P from Lancaster, United Kingdom, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Lowther Castle
Cumbria
Stabilised shell with major gardens
Photo: fuji.tim, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Muncaster Castle
Cumbria
B&B in stable-yard buildings, not castle
Photo: David Rogers, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Brougham Castle
Cumbria
Photo: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Brough Castle
Cumbria Free entry
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Supergolden assumed (based on copyright cla, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Kendal Castle
Cumbria Free entry
Free hilltop ruin, Katherine Parr association
Photo: Anglovirtual, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Penrith Castle
Cumbria Free entry
Ruin in public park
Photo: Clintheacock66 at en.wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Appleby Castle
Cumbria
Castle hotel plus daily keep/grounds tours
Photo: Stephen Craven, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Egremont Castle
Cumbria Free entry
Free access ruin in public park
Photo: Paul Lakin, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Pendragon Castle
Cumbria Free entry
Informal free access, Mallerstang valley
Photo: Matthew Hatton, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Piel Castle
Cumbria Free entry
On Piel Island; seasonal ferry from Roa Island
Photo: Geni, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Dalton Castle
Cumbria
14th-century pele tower; open Saturday afternoons in season
Photo: Kevin Waterhouse, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Common questions
How many castles are there in Cumbria?
This roll lists 14 visitable castles, fortresses and tower houses in Cumbria. Of those, 6 are free to enter and 6 charge admission. The other 2 have restricted access.
Which castles in Cumbria are free to visit?
6 of the 14 castles in Cumbria are open-access sites with no admission charge, namely Brough Castle, Kendal Castle, Penrith Castle, Egremont Castle, Pendragon Castle and Piel Castle.
What is the best-rated castle in Cumbria?
Piel Castle is among the highest-rated castles in Cumbria on this roll - 4.8/5 from 213 Google reviews.
Can you stay overnight in a castle in Cumbria?
Yes - 4 of the castles listed here offer overnight stays, namely Wray Castle, Sizergh Castle, Muncaster Castle and Appleby Castle.
Can you reach any castle in Cumbria by train?
6 of the 14 sit within 1.5 miles of a railway station, the closest being Penrith Castle (Penrith North Lakes, 0.1 miles), Dalton Castle (Dalton, 0.3 miles), Appleby Castle (Appleby, 0.5 miles) and Kendal Castle (Kendal, 0.5 miles). Those are straight-line distances from the station to the castle, so the walk on the ground is longer than the figure.
Can you go inside every castle in Cumbria?
Not all of them on the same terms. 2 of the 14 restrict what a visitor can see. At Wray Castle the building itself isn't open to visitors, so you see it from the grounds or from outside. At Dalton Castle you get the grounds or a booked tour rather than free run of the building.