Carlisle Castle

CastleCumbriaEnglish Heritage4.4(4,788 on Google)

Book tickets Website

£16.30

non-member

Free

EH members

4.4

on Google

Open

see times

Carlisle Castle guarded the western Anglo-Scottish border for centuries, surviving repeated sieges and holding Mary Queen of Scots prisoner in 1568. Its red sandstone walls enclose a twelfth-century gatehouse, Tudor battery and keep, where fifteenth-century carvings reward a closer look. Exhibitions explain the border conflicts and later military occupation, while the Warden's Apartments include dressing-up clothes for families. Cumbria's Museum of Military Life, within the grounds, adds the story of the Border Regiment and is included with castle admission. Reviewers particularly value the enthusiastic guides and the amount of military history on display. Give the museum time as well as the castle, and be prepared for winding stairs and cobbled surfaces. The grounds and main exhibition offer wheelchair access, but the keep and ramparts do not. General parking is in the charged council car park on Devonshire Walk; on-site spaces are reserved for disabled visitors.

Walking routes

Bitts Park Riverside Trail

Enter Bitts Park from Dacre Road, CA3 8UZ. Public park paths, no castle ticket required. Nearby council parking is separately charged; park-specific tariff and current dog exclusions are not confirmed.

Dog access not confirmed

Checked 2026-09-10

Opening times

Spring & summer hours

Carlisle Castle10:00 - 17:00

Opening time details

Open daily 10am-5pm until 24 October, then 10am-4pm from 25 October to 1 November; weekends 10am-4pm from 2 November to 20 December. Christmas dates vary.

Last admission is normally 30 minutes before closing. Check the date-specific calendar and any notices before travelling.

EH members enter free with their membership card. National Trust membership alone does not cover admission. Advance booking is optional for ordinary visits and can save up to 15%; events may differ.

Grounds and exhibition are wheelchair accessible. The keep, ramparts, shop and Captains Tower are not; expect spiral stairs and cobbles. Accessible parking is in the Outer Ward.

Parking: Castle car park on Devonshire Walk is council-operated and charged separately from membership. On-site castle parking is for disabled visitors only.

Image: Half-moon battery and inner gate at Carlisle Castle. Bill Harrison, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Half-moon_battery,_Carlisle_Castle_-_geograph.org.uk_-_6311799.jpg

Dogs at the location: Allowed with restrictions. Dogs on leads are welcome, but not in the Military Museum cafe. Assistance dogs are welcome across the site.

Dog walks in the grounds: Allowed with restrictions. Dogs on leads can accompany a walk through the castle wards during a ticketed visit or with EH membership. This does not establish access rules for nearby parks.

Dog walks in the surrounding area: Not confirmed. Not confirmed in full: Bitts Park has a verified riverside route, but the precise lead rules and excluded play areas require a separate current dog-policy check.

Leads: Keep dogs on leads in the permitted visitor areas. Keep clear of wildlife; additional livestock-specific guidance is not confirmed.

Seasonal dog restrictions: Not confirmed: no separate seasonal dog policy was established. Follow current notices and any temporary exclusions.

Assistance dogs: Assistance dogs are welcome, as stated in the official facilities/access guidance.

Pricing

Free entry with English Heritage membership

Entry

Non-member prices

Adult

£16.30

Child (5-17)

£8.10

Concession

£15.40

Family (2 adults, up to 3 children)

£40.90

Family (1 adult, up to 3 children)

£24.50

Pricing details

Standard-day walk-up tariff without voluntary donation. Prices vary by date. EH members enter free; National Trust membership alone does not cover admission. Advance online tickets save up to 15%; under-5s enter free. Adult walk-up range: £14.50 off-peak to £18.10 peak.

Standard-day walk-up tariff without voluntary donation; prices vary by date.

Parking

Pay to park

Castle car park on Devonshire Walk is council-operated and charged separately from membership. On-site castle parking is for disabled visitors only.. Not a Trust car park, so membership does not cover it.

Parking details

Castle car park on Devonshire Walk is council-operated and charged separately from membership. On-site castle parking is for disabled visitors only.

Council tariff: up to 1 hour £1.50, 2 hours £2.40, 3 hours £2.90, 3-9.5 hours £3.30. Charges 8:30am-6pm; gates close overnight 8pm-6:30am. Blue Badge holders receive up to 3 hours free with badge and clock.

For driving directions, use the visitor car park shown by the map pin and follow the signed pedestrian route to the entrance.

Pins

Enamel pin badges sold in the shop here, photographed by visitors.

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Facilities

ParkingRefreshmentsShopToiletsBaby changingPicnic areaDogs on leads