Castle walks

Walks that start at, pass or finish at a castle, from the ruins of Corfe and Bodiam to Stirling Castle and Iron Age hill forts such as Maiden Castle. Below are free walks, each with a map, distance and starting point.

65walking routes
21counties
Freeall routes
The ruins of Corfe Castle on its hill in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Photo: Lies Thru a Lens, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Quick picks
Length
Route

Every walk on this page is plotted on the map above. Zoom, drag or click a pin to explore, or search a county to list its walks.

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South West

South East

East of England

Midlands

Yorkshire

North West

North East

Scotland

Top castle walks by region

A starting point in each region: mostly circular routes of 2 to 12 miles, with no more than two from any one county.

South West

South East

East of England

Midlands

Yorkshire

North West

North East

Scotland

Walking to castles

Castles make good walking targets: they were built on high ground, by rivers or on the coast, so the walk to them usually comes with a view.

Medieval castles

Many of our routes pass ruins and castles such as Corfe in Dorset, Bodiam in East Sussex, Leeds in Kent, Dunster in Somerset, Lowther in Cumbria and Doune and Stirling in Scotland. Several start in the village below the castle and climb to it.

Coastal forts

On the coast, walks link Deal and Dover castles in Kent, follow the shingle spit to Hurst Castle in Hampshire, and reach Dartmouth Castle at the mouth of the Dart and the cliffs at Tintagel.

Hill forts

Some places called castles are much older Iron Age hill forts, with banks and ditches rather than walls. Our list includes Maiden Castle near Dorchester, one of the largest hill forts in Britain, as well as Barbury Castle, Castle Ring and Woodbury Castle.

Long-distance routes

The Three Castles Path links Windsor with Winchester, and some of our longer walks follow its stages.

Choosing a walk

There are 65 castle walks on this page, across 21 counties. Of those, 15 are under 4 miles, 26 are 4 to 7 miles, 10 are 7 to 10 miles and 14 are 10 miles or more. 34 bring you back to where you started, while 25 are one-way routes, best paired with a bus or train. The counties with the most are Dorset (18), Stirling (6), Kent (4). Use the filters above to narrow the list, or search for a county to see every walk there.

How we chose these walks

These are walks whose title names a castle or hill fort. We have left out walks that only mention a place called Castle, such as Rowlands Castle and Castle Combe, where there is no castle to see.

County walking guidesDorsetStirlingKentDevonDerbyshireCumbriaWest SussexSomersetBedfordshireCounty DurhamCornwallHampshire
More walks by themeWaterside walksPub walksSpring walksSummer walksAutumn walksWinter walks

Know before you go

Practical points for castle walks. Opening times and prices change, so check before you set off.

Opening times and tickets

Many castles are looked after by English Heritage, the National Trust, Cadw or Historic Environment Scotland. You can usually see the outside from the path for free, but entry to the castle itself often costs money and is limited to opening hours.

Hill forts

Hill forts are earthworks rather than buildings, and most are open to walk around. Keep off eroded banks and look out for grazing animals.

Paths and access

Keep to public rights of way and open access land, leave gates as you find them, and keep dogs under close control near livestock. In Scotland, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code applies.

Castle walks: questions

How many castle walks are there?

We list 65 castle walks across 21 counties. 15 are under 4 miles and 14 are 10 miles or more. Every route is free to view.

Which counties have the most?

Dorset (18), Stirling (6), Kent (4), Devon (4), Derbyshire (4), Cumbria (4). Search a county on this page to see every walk there.

Are there short circular walks?

Yes. 9 routes under 4 miles finish where they start, including Knepp Castle Loop (West Sussex, 1.3 mi), Tintagel Castle Loop (Cornwall, 1.9 mi), Broughton Castle Loop (Buckinghamshire, 2.1 mi). Choose Short walks back to start above to see them all.

Can I walk to Corfe Castle?

Yes. Several of our Dorset walks start in Corfe Castle village or finish there, including routes from Swanage, Studland and along the Purbeck Ridge. Choose Dorset in the county list above to see them.

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