Lowther Castle & Gardens

Lowther Castle is one of the Lake District’s most unusual and rewarding days out — a vast, roofless Gothic ruin standing over 130 acres of gardens and woodland, with far-reaching views over the Lowther valley. The same family has lived on this land for 850 years; the castle itself was abandoned in the 20th century and its dramatic shell is now the romantic centrepiece of gardens that are being replanted year by year to a design by Chelsea Gold winner Dan Pearson. Add in the Lost Castle — one of the largest wooden adventure playgrounds in the country — and there’s a genuine reason for every generation to come.

Location Details

• County: Cumbria
• Post Code: CA10 2HH (Lowther, near Penrith — about 15 minutes from M6 junctions 39 and 40, signposted from the A6 at Hackthorpe)

What You’ll Experience

• The Ruins: You can walk right through the castle shell, including the more recently opened western range — the empty windows framing the fells make for wonderful photographs.
• The Gardens: Gardens within gardens: the Rose Garden (laid out in the shape of an old English rose), a Japanese garden, the Parterre with its woolly yew hedges, and the 17th-century Yew Avenue. Something new is planted or opened most years.
• The Story of Lowther: An exhibition in the former stables telling the rise-and-fall story of the Lowther family — worth 20 minutes before you explore.

The Lost Castle

Hidden in the woods at the far end of the gardens is the Lost Castle — a towering timber echo of Lowther itself, built from 18,000 metres of sustainable wood. There are turrets, tunnels, zip wires, drop slides, rope nets and walkways high in the tree canopy, plus a dedicated toddler area and sandpit, with plenty of seating for spectators. Children routinely have to be dragged away; adults have been known to join in.

Good to Know

• Duration: Allow 3 to 4 hours — longer on a fine day with a picnic.
• Dogs: Welcome on leads throughout the gardens and ruins, but not inside the Lost Castle playground.
• Food & Drink: The café in the courtyard serves freshly made, locally sourced food, and there are lovely picnic spots throughout the grounds.
• Season: Open all year apart from Christmas Day. The gardens are at their best from late spring, but the ruins are atmospheric in any weather.
• Value tip: If you’re likely to return, the cost of a day ticket can usually be knocked off an annual pass bought on the day.
• Getting there: Penrith railway station is about 5 miles away on the West Coast main line; there’s on-site parking for a small charge.

Eat, Drink & Stay Nearby

The courtyard café at the castle does excellent freshly made Cumbrian food, and the grounds are made for picnics if you’d rather bring your own. For a proper meal afterwards, the villages on the Lowther Estate hide some genuinely good country pubs — Askham and Clifton, both minutes away, are the ones to try — and Penrith itself has a strong little food scene around its market square.

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