Castle Howard
nestled in the heart of the Howardian Hills AONB
Castle Howard Estate, York, North Yorkshire, YO60 7DA
Visit WebsiteNestled in the heart of the Howardian Hills AONB, Castle Howard takes palatial splendour to all kinds of new levels. This baroque country house, built in the eighteenth century by the architect John Vanbrugh, has something for everyone. The best part is, it’s very dog friendly.
- Children Welcome
- Dog Treats
- Multiple Dogs Allowed
- Parking
- Refreshments
- Rural Walks
Good to know
Overview
Dogs are welcome in most outside spaces, including the walled gardens, Ray Wood and the Temple of the Four Winds, as well as in the Courtyard Café and Farm Shop. Visit the walled gardens in summer for a dazzling array of colours and smells, before moving on to admire the Atlas Fountain, one of Castle Howard’s most iconic features.
From here, it’s a short walk to Ray Wood, which is much quieter than the main gardens and the perfect place for dogs to sniff out all sorts of exciting smells. Stretch your legs with the five mile parkland and monuments walk on the Castle Howard website; a great way to see the estate from a slightly different angle to the majority of visitors.
You can grab lunch at the bustling Courtyard Café, but we prefer to get our food to-go and wander down to the little-visited Cascade. Sit on the well placed bench here and soak in the most enchanting view on the site: look across the ‘new’ river bridge (built around 1740) to the family mausoleum.
Make sure to call in at the estate’s garden centre before you go: there’s an enormous array of plants to choose from, and they’re well stocked with dog treats and goodies too.
For The Dogs
Bring leads, treats and poop bags.
Opening Hours
The gardens are open daily from 10am – 4pm. Admission fees apply.
Parking
Park at Castle Howard car park, YO60 7DA.
The Area
The Howardian Hills AONB takes its name from the Howard family, local landowners who also gave their name to their home at Castle Howard. Much of the countryside can be explored through the extensive network of public footpaths and bridleways, taking in leafy woodlands, rolling arable fields and idyllic riverside strolls.
