We’ve visited Warwick Castle twice recently, both very different visits, so I’ll try my best to cover all aspects.
Warwick Castle at Christmas
The first time we visited was just before Christmas. We decided to visit first of all without the kids, partly to have a day to ourselves whilst they were with their dad. Partly because the last time either of us had been we didn’t feel like it was necessarily somewhere that they’d particularly enjoy. Admittedly it’s been about 20 years since I’d last been, and we probably could have looked online to see what was there these days, but why not just go and experience it for ourselves?
If you do get the chance to visit at Christmas then do it. There was quite a bit of the castle itself closed off. But everything else makes up for it if I’m honest. You can pay extra for the ice rink, and there is a light trail, which we couldn’t do due to time restraints. There are “bundle” prices available, or discounts for annual pass and merlin members if you do want to add on these activities. There’s also a lovely “Christmas market” now I use this loosely as it is just a few huts, mostly food vendors, but they have that quaint market feel with the wooden huts that somehow makes it feel more like Christmas, all the food looked incredible, there are plenty of options available and you can even toast marshmallows over the fire pit. The castle itself feels absolutely magical as you move from room to room, admiring the festive decorations and just really sets the mood for the season.
If you’re visiting with kids then you can also book stories with Santa, or if you want to go all out, there is the option of a Santa Sleepover. Last Christmas there was even a family pantomime (included in your entry), so you really can have the most festive of experiences, all in a stunning location.
Things to do
As with all attractions, there are various displays/exhibitions that change throughout the year, so be sure to check what’s going on before you visit. At the time of our visit, the exhibition was “The Royal Weekend Party” showing how the castle would have looked during the Victorian period, specifically focusing on one particular party in 1898 attended by the then Prince of Wales.
The outdoor shows also change slightly throughout the seasons. During the winter months, the focus is mostly on the birds of prey shows. Definitely double check show times to make sure you don’t miss at least one of the shows. Later in the year you’ll find other shows going on round the grounds, and yes we will be making sure we visit again over summer to make sure we get to catch at least one.
The Kingmaker: This one is a permanent exhibition, transporting you back to the War of the Roses. I remember this even being there when `I visited as a teenager, so it really is a longstanding exhibition. Fun one when you’re originally from Yorkshire with a dad from the other side of the pennines though. With interactive sections, and plenty of photo opportunities, even the kids will find this one interesting.
Don’t forget to climb the battlements, there are several areas where you can climb the castles towers. If you’re not great with heights, visiting with young children, or like me have really dodgy knees, I’d advise giving the main towers a miss and heading to the Conquerors Fortress. You’ll still scale the side of the castle and be able to enjoy the stunning views around Warwick, but without being quite as high, on a much wider area to fully move around, and the ascent is staggered as opposed to never ending steep steps, which in bad weather are also slightly safer than the stone steps of the towers, which whilst being inside do become very slippy.
If you head down past the playground and maze and continue round the exterior of the castle itself, you’ll find the Mill and Engine House. This is one of the areas that was closed at Christmas, there are also signs round the other side of the castle, but from our visit I couldn’t see how there would have been a route round from the river.
If you’re feeling brave (and you’re all over 10) you can also visit Warwick Castle’s very own Dungeons experience. I won’t use Charlotte as an excuse for us not doing this, I know it wouldn’t really be for James anyway and I’ve spent as long as I can remember refusing to go in any of the Dungeon experiences across the country, I just can’t do with the gore.
If you are visiting with kids then there are two additions in recent years that you’re going to want to check out:
Zog’s Playground; Charlotte was so excited for this, and unfortunately it was closed due to ice, but from what I’ve seen on socials and their website, it looks amazing, a really good playground with amazing theming. Being a family who loves all things Juila Donaldson, I think I’m probably just as excited as Charlotte to finally see if it does live up to expectations.
Horrible Histories Maze; ok I’ll be honest, we did this even without the kids. Pick up your time travellers passport on entry and make your way through history making sure to collect your stamps. There are plenty of activities for kids throughout the maze, so even when the playground was closed, there was plenty of chances for Charlotte to run around and play in the maze.
Food and Drink
If you’ve read my posts for long enough, or followed me on social media, even back in the Instagram days, you’ll know I’ll always say take a picnic. But, just in case you decide to buy food when you’re there, there’s a few options. Head under the castle for the Undercroft Cafe or if you’re exploring the larger grounds, the Conservatory Cafe in the Peacock garden has you covered. There are also several vending machines dotted around the grounds to grab a drink as well a kiosk in the courtyard with take away options (this is open seasonally). If you visit over Christmas you’ll also find several more options available from independent stall holders.
Accessibility
I am aware that for my kids their accessibility needs are very different than for a lot of people. But I do always like to take note of all ways that attractions help with accessibility for all people. Obviously there are always going to be some problems when it comes to older buildings, but the good news is that there are lots of ways that Warwick Castle have made as much as possible accessible to all.
Depending on when you go and how busy it is, the car park can be a bit of a walk, we walked it at Christmas, and it’s about a 5 minute walk. There are toilets by the car park and you’ll find a free shuttle service, this can be used by anyone so the queues can be large. If you can walk the distance then I would, but for those with mobility problems it most definitely is a useful service.
Most of the grounds are covered with flat well surfaced routes, that are easily accessible for pushchairs/wheelchairs. However, there are steps to access the Mill and Engine House. The ground floor of the castle is also accessible by a lift, allowing you to view the Great Hall and State rooms, as well as part of the exhibition space. However, lots of the other exhibitions, and of course the towers are only accessible by steps, The Kingmaker shop and Undercroft Cafe are also only accessible via steps, however, there are only a few steps so dependent on the extent of mobility concerns, it may be possible to access these areas.
There are also several accessible toilets around the site, and having done a little bit of further research there is actually a Changing Places Toilet near to the Conservatory Cafe.
There are also lots of other ways that Warwick Castle are trying to make it accessible for all, many being things we expect as standard, e.g. using the sunflower lanyard scheme, audio tours etc. For more detailed information, their website has very detailed information about various ways the attraction can be accessed, as well as information specifically to each area of the castle, so you can be sure to plan your day in advance.
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