Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland – Dog and Child Friendly Day Out

Dunstanburgh Castle is a 14th-century fortress, which has been turned into a tourist attraction. Dogs are welcome on the property but must be kept on a leash at all times. It is also necessary to keep your dogs on a lead on the walk from Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle due to their being livestock about. We stopped on Seahouses to grab some sandwiches for lunch. However, there are places in Craster you could stop at or enjoy a picnic lunch somewhere.

Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle distance is about 4 miles in total. It is doable for families with youngster. However, younger toddlers may need an all terain pushchair or carrier.

You can read more about our dog/child-friendly Northumberland holiday for more ideas on fun things to do in Northumberland.

Dunstanburgh Castle in Northumberland

How to get to Dunstanburgh Castle

To get to Dunstanburgh Castle you need to arrive at Craster which is the nearest town to access the castle or you can go to Embleton. For road access use postcode: NE66 3TT, for Sat-Nav use NE67 3XS.

The car park at Craster was £2 for an all-day ticket (this may have changed since I visited though). There were cheaper options, but I didn’t want to be rushing about trying to get back in time! Especially with kids.

Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle Walk

Setting off from the car park in Craster we stopped at the public toilets on the way. These are the last toilets so be sure to go here as there are no toilets at the Castle.

Timings to consider are the walk to the castle which is roughly 1.3 miles each way, which Little K walked most of it on the way out. You will also have on top of that the time you spend exploring the castle and walking around the area. There are a couple of beaches you can stop at along the way. These are stone beaches but still great to stop off at with kids.

The walk is easy to follow (just stick to the coastline!) or just follow the other people going to Dunstanburgh Castle! If you have your dog(s) with you keep them on a lead as there will more than likely be sheep about. It is also relatively flat with a slight incline up to the castle.

Dunstanburgh Castle

We decided to pay to go inside the ruins and explore some more. However, some people just seemed to go to the outside and walk around which seemed a shame. After we made our way inside and bought our entry tickets to Dunstanburgh Castle and found a quiet spot out of the wind for our picnic. We paid roughly £18 for entry plus we bought a guidebook. Check out their website for up to date prices. Remember – The castle is free for both National Trust and English Heritage members.

After lunch, we set off towards Lindsdell tower and also the main section which you can see as you walk up towards the castle. It was really interesting learning what the castle would have looked like and what the different areas were used for. Dunstanburgh Castle looks huge from pictures but it is actually pretty small compared to others we have visited. However, we learnt that it was made to look big as a status symbol.

Returning Back To The Car from Dunstanburgh Castle

Once we had finished exploring, we headed back towards the car. Little K wasn’t enjoying the wind so he was put in his carrier while Big K pranced around (no idea where he gets his energy from!). Both the boys and the dogs enjoyed Dunstanburgh Castle. I thought it made a great family day out for both kids and dogs.

Dunstanburgh Castle Tips

• You could probably take a pram if it was an all-terrain pram. I used the carrier instead.
• Make sure you take a picnic if heading there over lunchtime as there isn’t much at the castle and it does take longer than you think to explore the castle.
• Remember there are no toilets at the castle so go to the car park toilets before heading out.
• It can get pretty windy as it is very exposed, so make sure you have enough layers to keep you and the kids warm!

Have you been to Dunstanburgh Castle before? Let me know in the comments below.

Disclaimer: Reviews are my own opinion. I haven’t been paid in any way for writing this.