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
Sizergh Castle
Cumbria
Medieval pele-tower house; NT now brands it Sizergh
Carlisle Castle
Cumbria
Working border fortress with roofed keep
Lowther Castle
Cumbria
Stabilised shell with major gardens
Muncaster Castle
Cumbria
B&B in stable-yard buildings, not castle
Brougham Castle
Cumbria
Brough Castle
Cumbria Free entry
Kendal Castle
Cumbria Free entry
Free hilltop ruin, Katherine Parr association
Penrith Castle
Cumbria Free entry
Ruin in public park
Appleby Castle
Cumbria
Castle hotel plus daily keep/grounds tours
Egremont Castle
Cumbria Free entry
Free access ruin in public park
Pendragon Castle
Cumbria Free entry
Informal free access, Mallerstang valley
Piel Castle
Cumbria Free entry
On Piel Island; seasonal ferry from Roa Island
Dalton Castle
Cumbria
14th-century pele tower; open Saturday afternoons in season
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.
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 carries the strongest public rating of any castle 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 and Dalton Castle you get the grounds or a booked tour rather than free run of the building.