Dunstanburgh Castle
Northumberland, England
Photo: Tim Simpson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gallery: John Sutton, CC BY-SA 2.0 ยท Dr John Wells, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Operator
- English Heritage
- Condition
- Ruin
- Access
- Staffed, ticketed
- Entry pass
- English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass
- Nearest station
- Chathill, 5.4 miles (straight-line)
- Note
- National Trust owned, EH managed; coastal walk access; also listed under National Trust
Pinpoint
Dunstanburgh Rd, Craster, Alnwick NE66 3TT
Telephone 01665 576231
Opening Hours
Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.
Open daily, 10am - 5pm (last entry 4pm)
Checked against the official page on 13 August 2026.
Visitor essentials
- Parking
- Council car park in Craster, about 60 spaces, coin-operated, 1.3 miles from the castle.
- Access
- Shop has ramped access, but no accessible toilets and no lift to upper floors.
- Facilities
- Two toilets and a shop selling drinks, snacks and gifts in the Site Administration Building.
- Dogs
- Dogs on leads welcome; assistance dogs can get water at the Site Administration Building.
- Safety
- High cliffs and deep water to the north and east; over 100 stairs to the top of the keep.
A 14th-century ruin on a headland above the North Sea, reachable only on foot - the walk in from Craster takes 20-30 minutes across fields and rocks, longer from Embleton. What's left is substantial and dramatically sited, even if reviewers who've seen abbeys and priories with more surviving fabric rate places like Kenilworth above it for sheer intactness.
At a glance
Worth the trip
The coastal walk itself - several reviewers say the approach across the headland, with the ruins growing larger ahead of you, is the best part of the whole visit.
Before you go
It's genuinely a walk-in site, not a drive-up one, and can be tough going for anyone with mobility issues over the uneven fields and rocks; it isn't free even with the walk, so bring an English Heritage or National Trust card if you have one.
What visitors say
Dunstanburgh Castle reviews · 4.6 / 5 across 2,357 Google reviews
Reviewers consistently describe Dunstanburgh as one of the most dramatically situated castles they've visited, with the coastal walk from Craster and the views along the way rated as highly as the ruins themselves.
Several note the walk is a genuine hike of a mile or more each way across fields and rocks, which could be difficult for anyone with mobility issues.
One reviewer compares the ruins unfavourably to more intact sites like Kenilworth, but even that review still recommends visiting for the setting alone.
“An epic location and impressive from which ever way you approach it. You really get a feeling what this was like in it's prime, views for miles and the North sea cliffs giving some protection. Easy enough to walk to…”- john tilley, visitor review
Within reach of Newcastle (35 miles) - see what else is nearby.
Getting in - what English Heritage says
Two disabled parking spaces at Craster ~1.3 miles away; approximately 1 mile walk across uneven ground; wheelchair loans available; no accessible toilets; spiral stairs in gatehouse with no alternative access; whole site has uneven ground and potential trip hazards; assistance dogs welcome with water provided
Taken from English Heritage’s own website and read 28 July 2026 - check the current version. Access can change with building work, weather and staffing - if the visit depends on it, ring ahead.
History
Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster · 1313
Built between 1313 and 1322 by Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, as a statement of baronial wealth and power against Edward II, this massive fortress commands a Northumberland headland. John of Gaunt expanded its defences in the 1380s. The Wars of the Roses saw repeated sieges that left it permanently damaged before parliamentary demolition orders during the Civil War.
Adapted from this castle's Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Practical notes from visitors
Quoted from individual Google reviews, not verified with the operator - treat as a steer, not gospel, and check before you travel.
- Parking
- “My gadgets told me it was 3.5 miles from the car park, around the entire site, and back again.” - Kim Paulson
- Terrain & accessibility
- “Might be difficult for those with mobility issues.” - John Robbie Clark
- Facilities
- “It has incredible environmental friendly toilets, which is a new added bonus as otherwise it was a good walk back to Craster to use facilities.” - Sarah Jayne Leam
Common questions about Dunstanburgh Castle
Where is Dunstanburgh Castle?
Dunstanburgh Castle is in Northumberland, England, at Dunstanburgh Rd, Craster, Alnwick NE66 3TT.
Do you need a ticket to visit Dunstanburgh Castle?
Yes - Dunstanburgh Castle is a staffed, ticketed attraction run by English Heritage. Ticket prices and opening hours change through the year, so check the official site before travelling.
What is the highlight of visiting Dunstanburgh Castle?
The coastal walk itself - several reviewers say the approach across the headland, with the ruins growing larger ahead of you, is the best part of the whole visit.
Is Dunstanburgh Castle a ruin or still intact?
Dunstanburgh Castle is a ruin - National Trust owned, EH managed; coastal walk access; also listed under National Trust.
