We spent the day at Kenilworth (once we got parked!). For such a popular place only two things let it down. Car parking out of season, and the cafe facilities. Not only colder inside than out, but nowhere near enough staff to cope with demands of school holidays. Or the food to keep up. On the very major plus side, the new elizabethan platforms allowing you to climb the towers we believe Robert Dudley and his Queen may have climbed, to survey surrounding lands captures the heart, soul and imagination. My 11yr old was transfixed at this travel back in time to what it would have been like in there. Absolutely marvellous!! Also as always though the end of winter was hinting still, the ever wondrous garden and imposing face of the castle transport you to a different time and place. Congratulations Kenilworth!
Visited with the family here over half term, first visit and were very impressed with the castle, yes it's in ruins, but it is easy to picture how this was an impressive fortress before it's ruin in the 1600s.There were plenty of activities laid on, yes this was half term and they don't always run as many activities in term time...but the children enjoyed the sword fighting lesson and the jousting!Definitely a dry weather day out as the site is very exposed with not a great deal of shelter.There is a cafe on sight...but this was very busy...I don't think they were expecting such a busy day....but there are two pubs within 5 mins walkOn site parking is limited, however there are numerous on road places to park, as well as pay and display behind the pubs...Good day out....not as much to do as Warwick castle....but then you're not paying Camelot prices!
Although mostly in ruins, spent a good 3 hours there. Little cafe was nice for a quick brew. Only downside, as with all English Heritage properties, is that entry is a little pricey
I passed Kenilworth Castle every day for many years, without ever going in. It wasn't until I dated an Aussie who asked me all about it, and had questions I could not answer, that I ventured in to expand my mind!! It is a stunning castle, with rich history, great information panels throughout, and as a bonus, some stunning country walks all around it.
As many other reviewers have said, it is more of a ruins than a preserved castle but that's not a bad thing. The ruins make you imagine what it could have looked like with the descriptions as an aid which makes it more fun. Also, the gatehouse is still in perfect condition and the exhibition on the top floor is really great, especially the perplexing portrait of Elizabeth. The views from the top are magnificent and finding the little nooks and crannies is quite fun. I went during half term and it wasn't as busy as I thought it would be. However, there are usually a lot of screaming children who run around playing but it doesn't spoil the experience at all. I'd also recommend walking out to the Pleasance earthworks. There isn't much to see but it's quite nice to get out into the countryside. To get there you need to talk up the path from the ticket office and just before you enter the castle walls you should see a dirt track on your left which goes round the outside of the castle walls. Follow that until you see a few cottages/houses and a wooden gate in front of you. Go through the wooden gate and turn left, then follow the road all the way out into the country, passing a few farms. About halfway it gets quite muddy so make sure you wear casual shoes or boots.
We didn't arrive until midday and the car park was rammed, we were surprised by the size of the car park for the castle. Staff were friendly and attentive at the reception but no audio guides was offered. There is a lot to peruse with an exhibition in the Stables tea room and Leicester's gatehouse. The remains of the castle are picturesque, we spent quite a long time wandering up and down steps and towers and taking in the views over the surrounding countryside and the Elizabethan gardens. The panels were informative and gave us enough information to understand the castle layout and its history. The gardens themselves are beautiful, maybe not the best time of year to see them but we could appreciate them nonetheless. The aviary is a nice addition too. The facilities are a bit lacking, on a cold day there was nowhere to warm up - the tea rooms were as cold as outside. We took a picnic and sat outside which seemed to be what most people did. We did go to the tea rooms for 2 hot drinks and a slice of brownie in the afternoon and it took ages to get served, even though the queue was very small. The brownie was ok, very stodgy not a patch on cakes at other EH properties. Toilets were a bit rubbish too, only for the whole property and these had muddy, slippery floors and were less than clean. The gift shop is quite good. We spent about 4 hours at the castle. Despite the facilities, it is a great attraction and there is a lot to explore. Before we left, we walked around the bottom of the castle and took in the view over the castle grounds from down by the car park.
Kenilworth castle is mainly ruins but it has so many nooks, crannies, steps down to dead ends and stairways up high with amazing views. The remains of the castle are beautiful and have such an aura about them. Our 4 year old son absolutely loved it. A lovely garden, surprisingly large unusual avery, a gatehouse with old furniture in and not cluttered so you can appreciate the building itself. There is also a tea room in the old stables but we didn't use the facility. We were there for a solid 2 hours on a very chilly but luckily dry day. Would highly recommend.
had a brill day at kennilworth casle we had coffee and hot chocolate in café value for money,we liked everything about it and at least there were toilets
Have a kenilworth pass for the castle and go here quite a lot in the summer. Nice walk and gardens. If anyone lives In kenilworth and hasn't yet got there pass it's worth it
We visited the castle on a whim as we had a few hours spare before we had to head home. Even in the wind and rain I loved this place. There is so much history there and so many things to see with loads of little staircases and doors to explore in. This would be a great place to take kids.At every turn there are information boards so you know what things are and guides were also present.The only bad points are its a bit of a walk uphill and there are quite a few stairs some of which are quite narrow, so maybe not great for the elderly or people with babies in prams.So glad we went here we had a really good morning. Couldn't recommend enough.