Muncaster Castle
Muncaster Castle
4.5
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The historic and reputedly haunted Castle dating from the medieval age has been home to the Pennington family for over 800 years. It is a treasury of beautiful art and antiques, collected through the ages by the family who still live there. The Castle sits majestically in over 70 acres of wild, woodland gardens famous for collections of rhododendrons and azaleas set against the stunning backdrop of the Lakeland fells including Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain. The Hawk & Owl Centre is well worth a visit with daily displays at 2pm and watch the wild herons come in to feed at 4pm. The indoor MeadowVole Maze is an entertaining ecological attraction to entertain the young at heart. Playground, cafe, gift shops and an ancient church are all within the gardens. Regular events programme, including festivals, outdoor theatre, historical re-enactors and Halloween Week.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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- NatalieSouth Yorkshire, United Kingdom12 contributionsFantastic experienceFabulous time visiting Muncaster Castle and bird of prey. The bird flying displays were fantastic and the staff were so informative about every single bird. The castle was lovely and the on site cafe served some beautiful food. The only negative is the paths aren't very wheelchair friendly due to the stones on the paths. Every where is very clean and toilets are very clean. It has 2 lovely shops selling lots of beautiful items.Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 8, 2023
- Kay3 contributionsThank you Alice!What a beautiful place to visit for the day! Alice our castle tour guide was brilliant and made our visit really enjoyable and gave us a brilliant insight to the castles history. Highly recommend!Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 12, 2023
- Kathy H3 contributionsGreat day outGreat outing to Muncaster Castle. From telephone enquiry the day before to our experience on the day. Fabulous friendly staff with special credit to Alice for her informative and witty talk about the history of Muncaster. Wonderful views, entertaining and informative owl show, beautiful castle and gardens and excellent facilities.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 14, 2023
- CharlotteKingston-upon-Hull, United Kingdom102 contributionsA lovely day out for all ages!A lovely day out, staff were all lovely and really helpful. Dog friendly in most places other than the castle and owl centre which is totally fine as the amount of walking to do around kept us busy for most of the day! Stopped off for a little bite to eat at the cafe and was very tasty, also dog friendly may I add, again staff there was lovely too. Perfect for young families as there is always something to do there. Parking is best if you get there early as it fills up, but I do believe they have an over flow car parkVisited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 21, 2023
- KirstyRamsbottom, United Kingdom6 contributionsFantastic day outAmazing day out! Everyone there was so friendly and nice. We went on the Halloween witch trail which was great, saw the fantastic owl flying display and explored the castle for the Frankenstein experience. All was amazing!! But even without the extra Halloween things I would still definitely recommend this castle!Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 25, 2023
- Maria M11 contributionsFab fun day outJust been to yet another amazing Halloween day out. Family day trip to see the ghosts and ghouls yet another amazing show from the tours of the house ,booking advisable as the tours get filled up to the scary maze with 3 different levels of fear and fun this year. Well done and good luck for the rest of the season to the the Pennington family and all who make the visit fabVisited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 27, 2023
- bob19872018Whitehaven, United Kingdom295 contributionsGreat Family Experience for HalloweenA lot of effort put in by the hosts with all the staff in Halloween dress attire. Multiple eating kiosks & picnic tables etc. Also supported by various kid’s activities of bouncy castle & playgrounds etc. The owl show which had 2 displays was also excellent. 5 different owls gave a “performance” & flew low over the audiences heads from perch to perch. Simultaneously a young lads gave a verbal narrative relating to the owl on display. She was excellent, talked without script so enthusiastically, very informative. We didn’t go into the castle but had a walk around it to admire the panoramic views. It all made for a very enjoyable day.Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 29, 2023
- MartinsinblackGlasgow, United Kingdom33 contributionsSpooky Halloween at Muncaster castleSpooky Halloween at Muncaster Castle!! WaoW! We travelled down to experience Scarecaster at the Castle, this was like a scene from Midsomer/Wickerman. Lots to see and do for kids and adults alike.. Plenty of daytime shows and the castle events - daytime for kids,nighttime for the adults. Good selection of food and drink stalls/carts (reasonably priced) Brilliant setting and very well planned out. We stayed in the coachmans quarters all very nice and comfortable. Staff were all very helpfull and attentive if required. And the actors/ghostly ghouls were amazing..highly recommended the halloween event, there are other events throughout the year and i imagine the same planning, care and attention will go into them all. And the castle/bird sanctuary/grounds would be worth a visit any time of the year. Brillint!!! Will definitely be back!! Thanks guy 👌Visited September 2023Traveled with friendsWritten November 1, 2023
- Jenna&Ray❤️Barrow-in-Furness, United Kingdom10 contributionsMuncaster Castle you never fail me ❤️Fabulous fun trip to Muncaster Castle as always. The bird show was lovely as always, the food was beautiful, staff were polite and kind as always. The castle always amazes me no matter how many times we visit. We just love this place so much. We will be back for the medieval festival ❤️ thanks for a lovely day out as always. Jenna, Ray and family.Visited February 2024Traveled with familyWritten February 16, 2024
- Chrissy C3 contributionsA must see! Lovely!We loved it! The weather wasn’t the best but it was so worth it. We will def come back in the summer to see the gardens in full bloom. The cafe was great, excellent service, lovely menu and bacon bap breakfast was lovely. We spoke to Ewan at the cafe who told us about the ghost tours they do there, so we’ll be back to do that for sure. All in all bloody beautiful place, amazing views, and staff are the best we’ve come across from this sort of attraction, everyone was so friendly, chatty and helpful. What a beautiful place.Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 10, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,861 reviews
Excellent
1,301
Very good
383
Average
111
Poor
39
Terrible
27
JD
16 contributions
Oct 2020 • Family
We visited the castle as part of the the Halloween activities only due to their booking system you've had to pay twice the price to visit for one day. We rang up the office and couldn't get through for ages. Finally a person who manages the ticketing as back at 5 p.m. the evening before. We requested that this be properly amended only to be advised by the person managing the ticketing for the Castle that you had to buy two daily tickets for one day for each person to attend certain events.
This is ridiculous and we had to cancel all the tickets in protest and go online only to buy one for a limited purpose. The ticketing person applied no logic AND was more than happy to overcharge us for 2 day tickets to only attend one day. This seemed illogical and illegal.
I would be very careful signing up to any of the special events online using their ticketing service especially during covid19
I would recommend the owner to a review of their ticketing service and especially person who manages the ticketing over the phone to ensure some honest practices are put in place.
We did enjoy the day but really would be very careful
This is ridiculous and we had to cancel all the tickets in protest and go online only to buy one for a limited purpose. The ticketing person applied no logic AND was more than happy to overcharge us for 2 day tickets to only attend one day. This seemed illogical and illegal.
I would be very careful signing up to any of the special events online using their ticketing service especially during covid19
I would recommend the owner to a review of their ticketing service and especially person who manages the ticketing over the phone to ensure some honest practices are put in place.
We did enjoy the day but really would be very careful
Written October 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm sorry but I beg to differ with your review. You visited on two days last week and (as I understand it having carefully questioned the staff concerned) for some reason seemed to think you only needed to pay to see the gardens the first time you entered.
You also had not understood, despite it being pretty clear on our website, that your gardens ticket DO NOT include a visit to the castle. To visit the interior of the castle you have to buy the castle ticket, which includes entry to the gardens. As the castle sits majestically in the middle of the gardens you cannot purchase a ticket for the castle alone. The facts are clear in the description of each ticket on the website.
You then returned for a second day, having taken up lots of staff time on the telephone going through the options with you, to do the castle tour. This ticket includes an element of entry to the gardens. If you go to the cinema twice to see the same film, do you get in free the second time?
The discount on buying gardens tickets is only available online. We do this especially in these Covid days to speed up entry and to encourage visitors to buy tickets online in advance.
You were certainly not overcharged for the services received. Our staff bent over backwards for you, taking considerable time to calculate the correct discount that applied to your changing ticketing requirements and ensuring you received the correct discount, which you did.
I agree that at this time of year, with all the options for Halloween tours on top of our normal offerings, it does get a bit complicated at times. However I can assure you that you were treated fairly and I reiterate again that you were charged the correct amount, including discount, for the tickets received. At this time of year the 'phone is constantly ringing and our hard pressed staff do their best to answer as many enquiries as they can. We try to ensure the website is as clear as possible with all the information described correctly.
I am glad that at least you enjoyed your day here. I do apologise that you found our ticketing confusing.
Written October 26, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Joe Winder
Morecambe, UK181 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
We have visited Muncastrr castle plentiful times but this was different for 2 main reasons. Firstly we now have an 8 month old son who today had his first visit, secondly the Covid 19 situation. I happened upon Muncaster being reopened by chance on a photography group, messaged them on facebook to enquire and they were prompt and knowledgeable in their reply. Booked tickets online as their are reduced visitors at present to maintain social distancing.
Attended to find the front gates open as visitor entrance is currently closed. Went through the enchanted trail which we enjoyed as this is something I had overlooked on previous visits. Bit rooty and rocky for the pram but that was to be expected and was our own choice to go through. Walked around the gardens which we absolutley loved, had a picnic on the grassy area at the rear of the castle with beautiful views. Everyone in attendance maintained their distances from other visitors. Toilets were open and cleaned regularly. See one staff member whom requested to see our tickets which we were forewarned about on the ticket confirmation email. For £5 each for me and my partner and our baby free it was a much enjoyed day out. Takes you away from everything currently going on and let's you just enjoy nature and the castle surroundings.
Attended to find the front gates open as visitor entrance is currently closed. Went through the enchanted trail which we enjoyed as this is something I had overlooked on previous visits. Bit rooty and rocky for the pram but that was to be expected and was our own choice to go through. Walked around the gardens which we absolutley loved, had a picnic on the grassy area at the rear of the castle with beautiful views. Everyone in attendance maintained their distances from other visitors. Toilets were open and cleaned regularly. See one staff member whom requested to see our tickets which we were forewarned about on the ticket confirmation email. For £5 each for me and my partner and our baby free it was a much enjoyed day out. Takes you away from everything currently going on and let's you just enjoy nature and the castle surroundings.
Written June 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your 5 star review and we are so glad you enjoyed your visit so munch. Do please return as your son grows up. We love the giggles of happy children; music to our ears.
Written July 7, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
spde83
Birkenhead, UK152 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
Just returned from a brilliant day here and was blown away by the 2 bird shows we saw. The owls and how they flew between and over people watching was just something else. The open bird theatre was absolutely outstanding and to see a bald Eagle in flight just inches from your head is unreal. The staff was absolutely fantastic and had all the time in the world to answer my kids questions about the birds (all bird of prey lovers) and they have come away absolutely buzzing about it. It's dog friendly apart from inside the castle itself and the owl area. We didn't go inside the castle itself as we had the dog with us. The views are just absolutely stunning and the walks around the grounds are brilliant too. The only thing that has stopped me giving it a 5 was it was a bit expensive to get in but appreciate the fact that the money goes into the birds and the other reason and its no fault of the castle or the staff at all but there were quite a few disrespectful people on our visit who were very loud and rude during the bird display and saw a number of people leaving litter around after they had lunch on the ground. We will definitely be returning again next year. Thank you for such a memorable day
Written August 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NellintheWell
Telford, UK13 contributions
Sep 2021 • Friends
We had a pleasant enough walk around the estate, though can’t comment on the castle or the bird centre as we had dogs with us. The setting looking over the Western Lake peaks is stunning and the longish walk from Ravenglass along the coastal path and the Esk estuary skirting the woods of the estate is well worth doing. The gardens are nothing to write home about, though probably they aren’t at their best in September. The cafe wasn’t great- dirty tables and concrete-like scones. The four of us would have been £30 richer(and better fed, I suspect) had we eaten in Ravenglass and just done the walk to the castle without entering the castle demense
Written September 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DavefromNJ
Montclair, NJ316 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
We had a very enjoyable visit to this privately held castle with our family (young adults- not teens). While I felt it was a bit pricey the money goes to the group to help maintain and continue to improve the castle and grounds. It’s worth a visit. We booked the guided tour tickets and were introduced to the history and stories of the family and the castle. There were some nice surprises that made the tour worthwhile. NOT TO BE MISSED is the live bird demonstration. The castle includes a bird sanctuary with owls, hawks, eagles, and vultures, plus others, and they do a demonstration which is worth the admission! The grounds are also very nicely maintained- and don’t forget to learn about the apparent home of “Tom Fool”!!
Written August 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Miles C
Staxton, UK34 contributions
Oct 2020 • Friends
We were advised to visit by someone from the hotel we were staying at, and although I wasn’t too enthusiastic I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The flying display was just something else and worth the entry fee alone. The work the staff do with the birds is nothing more than amazing, breathtaking and mesmerising.
The cafe was clean and served a gorgeous hot sausage roll, the gardens were also tremendous. Didn’t have time to go round the castle, but we will return again.
Loved every second of our visit.
The flying display was just something else and worth the entry fee alone. The work the staff do with the birds is nothing more than amazing, breathtaking and mesmerising.
The cafe was clean and served a gorgeous hot sausage roll, the gardens were also tremendous. Didn’t have time to go round the castle, but we will return again.
Loved every second of our visit.
Written October 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JD
16 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
This can be a wonderful day out but do be careful on the ticketing as often they misrepresent or charging more than you need to. Any criticism in this regard is automatically taking over with a bullish commentary by the owner. Please do be very careful especially when you are doing coupon tickets or supposed discounts which font apply
Written June 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your comments. Trying not to be bullish we try very hard not to misrepresent our ticket prices but it does get rather complicated at times especially when third parties ask us to provide discount coupons to their customers for our facilities. Sometimes the information given out by them is of a general nature which doesn't always align closely to our various ticket options, especially recently due to the ever changing nature of the covid pandemic. Perhaps it would be easier not to offer any discounts at all to avoid any such confusions but I fear that would be a shame.
Thanks for the constructive feedback and we will continue try to be as clear as possible regarding discounts and coupons.
I hope that wasn't too bullish!
Written August 3, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hannah B
Sheffield, UK15 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
Came here on a rainy day on a holiday in the Lake District. We found it by chance and are so pleased we did. The gardens are beautiful, the playgrounds great for younger children (ours are too old for them but we saw many younger ones enjoying themselves), the cafe is nice with a good selection of reasonably priced food and the castle is good to have a look around. By far the best thing (which is worth the entrance fee alone) were the two bird displays we saw. They were absolutely amazing. I’ve seen a few of these over the years but these blew me away. A MUST see. If we’re up here again, we’ll definitely be coming back
Written August 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jonny5Stars
Helsby, UK27 contributions
Apr 2022
Visiting Ravenglass for my Dad's 70th. Wanted to extend our stay on Sunday after vacating the cottage by 10am. Booked castle online and saved 10%. Stayed until mid afternoon before setting off home.
Owl display was superb. Chloe gave an interesting running commentary as the owls swooped over the audience as they flew from perch to perch. When they say duck they mean duck!
Notice says "Welcome to our home" and they mean it. The owners were involved in looking after visitors. Peter was directing people to their seats and was particularly attentive with my Dad who is currently in a wheelchair after recovering from COVID. Iona was assisting Emma in feeding the birds of prey during the outdoor display.
My highlight was Stuart - a man who genuinely enjoys his job - he became excited when he pointed out a wild peregrine falcon above the trees, his enthusiasm was infectious. He also pointed out a heron, ravens and other birdlife. The show included a bald eagle, black kites, saker falcon and vultures.
Cafe was good value and children enjoyed their ice creams. I didn't go in the house but wandered around the gardens with the dog. This is not Chatsworth but I prefer the more naturalised landscape here. Wife enjoyed the castle with its "King's room".
I do hope they have a good season. Cumbrian people are really friendly.
Owl display was superb. Chloe gave an interesting running commentary as the owls swooped over the audience as they flew from perch to perch. When they say duck they mean duck!
Notice says "Welcome to our home" and they mean it. The owners were involved in looking after visitors. Peter was directing people to their seats and was particularly attentive with my Dad who is currently in a wheelchair after recovering from COVID. Iona was assisting Emma in feeding the birds of prey during the outdoor display.
My highlight was Stuart - a man who genuinely enjoys his job - he became excited when he pointed out a wild peregrine falcon above the trees, his enthusiasm was infectious. He also pointed out a heron, ravens and other birdlife. The show included a bald eagle, black kites, saker falcon and vultures.
Cafe was good value and children enjoyed their ice creams. I didn't go in the house but wandered around the gardens with the dog. This is not Chatsworth but I prefer the more naturalised landscape here. Wife enjoyed the castle with its "King's room".
I do hope they have a good season. Cumbrian people are really friendly.
Written April 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow! You are very kind but yes we are all hands on. You are quite correct; we love welcoming people from all over the world to our home. One of the family mottos is "The ornaments of a house are the friends who frequent it". However, our staff are the real stars who bring the place to life. And of course the incredible birds.
Thank you.
Written April 30, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Janice T
Knutsford, UK59 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
We re-visited after maybe 8 years away and what a difference! The 2 displays were fantastic and definitely worth the cost of the ticket.
As we were on our way home we didn’t get to do everything but what we did see was brilliant.
The Owl display was great but the Sky Hunter show was phenomenal. I think due to the slightly windy weather we were treated to something extra as the birds really got to show their skill at flying.
Both shows were informative and entertaining but the finale of the sky hunter show was just brilliant.
It was obvious that all 3 ‘trainers’ loved their birds and consequently the shows were excellent.
Social distancing is encouraged with lots of sanitation units all over the place, including the children’s playground.
The cafe has an understandably limited menu but a few more healthy options would be appreciated, although the chips were very nice!
Definitely visit and support what this team are trying to do.
As we were on our way home we didn’t get to do everything but what we did see was brilliant.
The Owl display was great but the Sky Hunter show was phenomenal. I think due to the slightly windy weather we were treated to something extra as the birds really got to show their skill at flying.
Both shows were informative and entertaining but the finale of the sky hunter show was just brilliant.
It was obvious that all 3 ‘trainers’ loved their birds and consequently the shows were excellent.
Social distancing is encouraged with lots of sanitation units all over the place, including the children’s playground.
The cafe has an understandably limited menu but a few more healthy options would be appreciated, although the chips were very nice!
Definitely visit and support what this team are trying to do.
Written August 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your positive feedback and 5 star review. Much appreciated. I agree with you re providing a few more healthy options in the café but we are finding this is hard to do with limited staff at the moment and everything having to be "take-away" style.
Your support is heart-warming.
Written September 21, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Is it free parking at Muncaster Castle and is it spacious?
Written May 31, 2021
We cannot use disinfectants on the contents of the castle as they are so historic. Therefore seating is minimal during the tour but some is available particularly in the final room.
Written July 31, 2020
Can you take your dogs on the Halloween special at Muncaster Castle?
Written October 26, 2019
Hi, I'm not sure about the specific event, but I know that there is provision for dogs on a regular day. If your dog is well enough behaved to expect the unexpected, I would love you to train me!
Written October 27, 2019
Is this castle and grounds dog friendly ?
Written September 7, 2018
Sorry for the delay in responding, but yes, the grounds certainly are. Not sure about the caste though.
Written September 12, 2018
I asked this question previously but am very disappointed that I have not had the courtesy of a reply from anybody at the castle.
On entering the castle I was told very forcefully that photography was not permitted. Why is this ? Even the NT and English Heritage allow private, non flash photography in their properties these days. I think this is an out of date restriction.
Written August 6, 2018
It's an insurance thing! sorry I know it's a pain, but not all people that visit the castle come to view it with kind thought's, some come with nefarious thought's of theft, and to photograph the window's, door's for an easy way in or any weakness in the alarm system's.
Written August 8, 2018
On entering the castle I was told very forcefully that photography was not permitted. Why is this ? Even the NT and English Heritage allow private, non flash photography in their properties these days. I think this is an out of date restriction.
Written July 20, 2018
most probably because this is a lived in property. However I have experienced this issue in other similar places of interest and the visitor must respect this request. The castle's administration may give a definite explanation.
Written July 21, 2018
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