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You are here: Home > Things to Do > Lowther Castle & Gardens

Lowther Castle & Gardens

View of the Front of Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • View of the Front of Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • Aerial Shot of the Ruins at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • Overlooking the Gardens at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • Upward View of the Tower at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • The Story of Lowther Exhibition at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • Flowers at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • The Rose Garden Summerhouse at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • The Rose Garden at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • Slide and Lost Castle Adventure Playground at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • Slide and Lost Castle Adventure Playground at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • Visitors Admiring the Views from the Grounds at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • Grounds at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • Cyclists Riding Through the Gates at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • Scenic Exterior View of Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District
  • Scenic Exterior View of Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake District

Type:Castle

Lowther Castle & Gardens, Lowther, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 2HH

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Tel01931 712192

About

Since it opened to the public in 2012, Lowther Castle & Gardens – comprising castle ruins, extensive gardens, woodland, ponds and a huge adventure playground – has established itself as one of the most popular and unusual visitor attractions in the northwest. It is set in the Lake District National Park, a Unesco World Heritage site and sits on the dramatic Knipe Scar with far-reaching views over the river Lowther and the Lowther valley below.

Lowther Castle itself was first constructed in the early 19th century. For 130 years or so, the castle was a beacon of grandeur in the northwest – a place where the great and the good came to enjoy a remarkable art collection and fabled setting. But after two wars and a prolonged period of underinvestment, the castle’s fortunes turned. In 1957, its roof was removed while the gardens were overplanted with a commercial spruce plantation.

Today, thanks to a great deal of hard work and investment, the castle ruins are stable while the gardens themselves have been brought back extensively to life. The Garden-in-the-Ruins is just that, a garden growing up through the old walls of the ruin. The Parterre is a fascinating modern interpretation of an old concept, woolly yew hedges enclosing a host of unusual perennial combinations. The Yew Avenue and the Western Terrace are barely changed since they were established in the 17th century while the Rose Garden – a triumphant addition by Dan Pearson, the garden designing mastermind – is an oasis of colour and smell. Deep in the woods, the lost castle adventure playground awaits – with zipwires, turrets, slides, cages, ropes, sandpits designed for all ages.

The café serves excellent freshly made food. Takeaway available. Exhibition, shop, cycle hire.

Open all year. 15 minutes from the M6, 5 miles from Ullswater. 

Located on the northern edge of the Lake District National Park, three miles from the M6, junction 40.

Book Tickets

Opening Times

Open New Year
Season (1 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2025)

* * Summer Hours: 10.00am-5.00pm (Last entry 4.00pm)
Winter Hours: 10.00am-4.00pm (Last entry 3.00pm)
Open all year but Christmas Day

Guide Prices

Exhibition, Castle, Gardens, Adventure Playground:
Adult £14
Child £10
Family Day Ticket £45
Carer Free
Dogs on leads are welcome everywhere (except on the adventure playground).

Facilities

Accessibility

  • Disabled access
  • Disabled toilets
  • Wheelchairs available

Booking & Payment Details

  • Credit cards accepted (no fee)

Catering

  • On-site catering
  • Picnic site

Children

  • Baby changing facilities
  • Children welcome

Property Facilities

  • Dogs Accepted
  • Gift shop
  • Public toilets
  • Smoking not allowed

Target Markets

  • Coach parties accepted

Access Information

Entrance

Entrance is well lit

Public Areas

Baby changing facilities
Contrast markings on clear surfaces such as glass doors
Good contrast between the floor and walls
Level access (no steps/thresholds) or access by ramp or lift:
From the entrance to reception / ticket area
To a specially adapted public toilet suitable for wheelchair users
To the gift shop
Lift equipped with raised floor numbers or braille numbers or letters

Food

Children's menu
Good contrast between the floor and walls
High chairs for children
Level access (no steps/thresholds) or access by ramp or lift to cafeteria
Menus available in large print (14pt and over)
Restaurant / cafe provide meals for visitors with special dietary requirements:
Gluten free (coeliacs)
Lactose free (dairy free)
Low potassium

Parking

Designated parking for guests with disabilities
Within 50 metres approx. of entrance
The route from the parking area to the entrance:
Is flat (i.e. without steps)
The surface of the car park and pathway leading to entrance:
is gravel

General

Audible alarm system
Clear signage
Displays at suitable height for wheelchair users / children
Effective lighting for visually impaired visitors
Good colour/tonal contrast for visually impaired visitors
Routes/pathways suitable for wheelchair users or visitors with limited mobility
Visual alarm system
Wheelchairs provided
Free

This information is self-assessed; therefore we accept no liability for its accuracy. Please contact the venue for further information.

Tripadvisor

Awards

  • Other AwardsSelf-assessed Accessibility Information Self-assessed Accessibility Information
  • Cumbria AwardsMember of Cumbria Tourism Member of Cumbria Tourism 2016

Related

Slide and Lost Castle Adventure Playground at Lowther Castle & Gardens in Lowther, Lake DistrictThe Lost Castle Adventure Playground at Lowther Castle, PenrithImagine coming to a ruined castle, walking through its gardens and into the woodlands and stumbling…

Map & Directions

Map Link

Click here to view map

Road Directions

Within 15 minutes of M6 junctions 39 and 40, and the A66 from Penrith. Signposted from the A6 at Hackthorpe.  

Public Transport Directions

The nearest railway station is Penrith, 5 miles away. Penrith is on the main west coast line with regular direct trains to London Euston and Glasgow.

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