The impressive Sizergh Castle in Kendal is a stately home and garden that stands at the gateway to the beautiful Lake District. Here’s a complete guide.
How To Get To Sizergh Castle
Sizergh Castle is located approximately 4 miles south of the town of Kendal in Cumbria.
By Car:
Take the A6 south from Kendal to the A591. Then take the A590 towards Barrow-in-Furness. After a short time on the A590 you will see brown signs taking you right onto Nannypie Lane. Follow this lane for Sizergh Castle.
Alternatively, Sizergh Castle is just 5 miles from the M6 exit 36. Follow A590 towards Kendal then take A590 for Barrow-in-Furness and follow brown signs as above.
From Lake District take A591 south then A590 towards Barrow-in-Furness and follow the brown signs as above.
There is a pay-and-display car park at Sizergh Castle with the following charges:
1 hour £2 / 2 hours £4 / 4 hours £6 / All day £8.
Car parking is half price over winter.
By Train:
The nearest railway station is Oxenholme, which is 3 miles away.
Sizergh Castle Entrance Fee
House and Garden:
Adult £13
Child £6.50
Family £32.50
1 adult + 2 children £19.50.
Garden only:
Adult £9
Child £4.50
Family £22.50
1 adult + 2 children £13.50.
Sizergh Castle Opening Times
Gardens, café, estate and car park open every day, all year round (except Christmas Day).
End of March – end of October: 10am – 5pm.
End of October – end of March: 10am – 3.30pm.
The house is open Wednesday – Sunday from end of March – end of October: 12 noon–3.30pm.
Best Time To Visit Sizergh Castle + Tips
During the school holidays and at weekends will be busier, so work around these times if you prefer it a bit quieter.
If you want to see inside the house you need to go after 12 noon Wednesday to Sunday between March and October.
However, be aware that for the first 45 mins after opening the house can only be visited by timed ticket, access is open to all after that.
If the weather is nice take a picnic and enjoy one of the picnic areas in the gardens.
Dogs are welcome on leads on the estate, on the Knoll, in the shop and the cafe.
Assistance dogs only in the gardens.
What To Pack
History Of Sizergh Castle
Sizergh Castle and Garden is a castle, stately home and garden and has been managed by the National Trust since 1950.
Built over 750 years ago, the house is still lived in by the Strickland family and is full of items collected by 26 generations of the family.
Originally owned by the Deincourt family from the 1170s, after the marriage of Elizabeth Deincourt to Sir William de Stirkeland in 1239, the estate passed into the hands of what became the Strickland family.
Catherine Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VIII and a relative of the Stricklands, is thought to have lived here after her first husband died in 1533.
What To Expect At Sizergh Castle
One of the Lake District’s finest stately homes and gardens, Sizergh Castle has more than 1600 acres of grounds.
Castle
The castle is well presented with many different rooms open to visit and knowledgeable volunteers available to answer questions.
You will be able to see stunning Elizabethan oak-panelled interiors with intricately carved chimneypieces, some beautiful period furniture and centuries old artwork.
More recently a new exhibition has been added featuring a short film in the Tower Basement that follows the current head of the Strickland family, Henry, into the private family archives.
Gardens
Step out into the gardens and there is plenty to enjoy including a mirror lake, colourful herbaceous borders, a mouthwatering kitchen garden, an apple orchard, a fruit wall and an award winning limestone rock garden.
Home to four National Collections of Hardy Ferns, this beautiful garden also attracts dragonflies, herons, a resident kingfisher and coots on the Dipping Pond in summer.
Volunteers hold informative tours around the gardens and the extensive grounds provide access to signposted walks in the surrounding countryside.
A children’s Wild Play Trail is housed in the woodland as well as there being a bird hide at Park End Moss. This offers wildlife lovers the chance to watch the comings and goings of butterflies, bats, birds of prey, deer, otters and more.
There is also a licensed cafe serving a selection of delicious meals and snacks using seasonal produce from the kitchen garden.
As well as a gift shop selling local products, home accessories, gifts, toys and plants and more.
Sizergh Castle is a great day out with something on offer for all the family, young and old.
It was the first stop on this Lake District tour, before heading to explore the best things to do in Ulverston.
One of which was another, different type of castle – Muncaster Castle.
Where To Stay In The Lake District
Luxury – Lakes Hotel & Spa
This luxurious hotel is perfectly situated with views of Lake Windermere, a short stroll from the village of Bowness-on-Windermere.
The hotel can arrange collection from Windemere station which is just 10 minutes away.
Lakes Hotel & Spa has some of the best on-site facilities in the area, half of the rooms with hot tubs on private balconies. There’s also an on-site spa, a stylish restaurant and a cocktail bar. As well as bike hire, wakesurfing and paddleboading.
There are many walks that you can take straight from the hotel gates, and there are even boats that travel the length of Windermere, making it easy to visit surrounding areas.
Mid-Budget – The George Hotel by Best Western
This traditional hotel stands in the very centre of the bustling market town of Penrith.
Free parking and free Wi-Fi is available at the property. Meals are available to enjoy in the intimate, candlelit Devonshire restaurant which boasts a beautiful open fire.
The wood panelling and old local wall prints combine to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, where many generations of loyal visitors have returned time after time.
Budget – Albany House
Located in Penrith, Albany House offers bed-and-breakfast accommodation with free WiFi access throughout.
Guests benefit from free public parking facilities near the accommodation. The property also boasts a 4 gold-star rating from the AA, along with breakfast awards.
Rooms at Albany House B&B come with a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee making facilities and either an en-suite or external bathroom.
Breakfast is available between 8:00 and 9:00 every morning in the common breakfast room.
For more places to stay in the Lake District, you can check the latest prices on Booking.com.
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