Bolsover Castle in Leek

Could do with a bit more information in the rooms as you go round.Not all rooms had room guides but those that were available were helpful and interesting.Shortage of volunteers!Before anyone says, why dont you volunteer? I live 150 miles away.I know you can buy a guide for £5.00 but not everybody wants one.Really nice place to visit and would recommend to anyone.

Amazing day out, staff in the shop / entrance were very friendly helpful and informative. Volunteers throughout the castle were chatty, educational and lovely. The castle itself is a beautiful and is well worth visiting. Bring a friend, kids, your partner whoever or everyone.Also the shop had a lovely select of gifts including local alcohol, theres a second hand book shop and an audio tour available.

Recently visited the castle for a Ghost walk. It was great. The castle, even in the dark, was impressive. Mr Black the guide was amazing, full of facts and humour, he made the evening. Were now planning on visiting in the daytime to see the castle in all its glory

An absolutely marvellous place to visit. One is left to wander at leisure, guidebooks are available at the point of entry.We began with a cup of tea and a piece of cake, which is a good idea as the viewing takes quite a while. We had a delicious sausage baguette before leaving. I doubt it would have been as enjoyable in the rain as half the buildings dont have a roof.Incredible views from the castle too.We have a lot to thank the Cavendish family for, but this gem is a historians dream.

Great castle to visit, has a keep with multiple levels with many rooms to explore. Walkable castle walls, nice garden and fountain. Beautiful elizabethan ruin outside the castle to explore. Has plenty of event days to enjoy, a big childs play area. Big shop / cafe and small carpark round the back.

What a beautiful place.. well worth a visit if youre in the area. In the main building there are a lot of steps to climb and one on the staircases are spiral so if like me you have mobility issues you might want to just go up to the first floor.

Very impressed with the heritage of this building. Loved the round walking balcony and the views are breathtaking 😍Definitely recommend to families with children as there are plenty of green space where to play, a playground, outside picnic area and amazing surroundings.Not much to see inside, but the few pictures and the walls are extremely good conservated.Dogs are welcome in the garden and play area, coffee shop and gifts shop, but not in the main castle or the stable.Tickets were £14.50/adult, but definitely worth better an 15 months subscription plan to all the Heritage places around the country (which costs only £115 for 2 adults and up to 6 children)

Not been for some years but very pleasant visit. More rooms in castle seemed available to view. A guy gave a guided tour at 2pm, he was fantastic. His historical knowledge & research hed done was outstanding & his story telling was superb, an outstanding hour, TOP MARKS!! Well worth a visit. Hope Valley ice cream in cafe was delicious, try one!

Interesting historical spot; it doesnt feel like a traditional castle due to its extensions over the years, but definitely worth a visit. The cafe is good too - the scones were excellent and the staff really friendly.Pro tip: if youre a dog owner (were not), please do whatever you need to so that it doesnt bite anyone. We witnessed another visitors dog bite the calf of the waitress who was just bringing their food to the table. It wasnt nice, shouldnt have happened and really doesnt need to happen again...

Bolsover Castle towers over the area and it is hardly surprising that it is a remarkable tourist attraction. Despite the fact that most of the building is in ruins, and that in the preserved interiors most of the decorations and furniture are contemporary copies, it has managed to preserve the historic character of the place.

Wonderful historical place, sit with a coffee and snack after a tour round the castle. Brilliant play area for kids while you relax love the whole place I recommend buying membership.

We had a fantastic day at Bolsover Castle for the Lengedary Joust.There was so much to see and learn.The event was very well planned and executed.Could not have asked for anything g better.

One of the best castles weve visited. We went on an event day and there was loads to do with the kids. The castle is great to explore and see the amazing views or surrounding countryside. There is a cafe, gift shop and small kids play area too. Well worth a visit, especially if youre English Heritage members.

Lovely place to visit, even though it was raining, didnt spoil the amazing views. Lots of rooms to explore, ruins and inside the little castle and lots of steps inside, we counted 100 in the servants stairwell. Definitely worth a visit. Amazing to see how people lived way back then.

This pay wall preventing all people access to learn and experience their English Heritage has to stop.My wife and I visited here, parked the car, walked to the entrance, only to be told its £29 for us to see the castle.Gift shops and donations are enough for upkeep. The prices they are charging line the pockets of the top brass and money is skimmed all the way down the chain of command in this bogus charity.Poor people cannot afford to access English Heritage sites in order to learn about their own heritage. Its a garbage and corrupt system and it has to stop. The money you are giving them gives them more ownership, more power and more control.If this stops by our family walking out, so be it. I left. I would rather learn on YouTube than to support this system.

Parking , tea room and children’s play area. The buildings are mainly derelict but the castle walls have been restored and the remnants of the buildings tell a story of lavish entertainment, horses and dressage. A visit to Bolsover Castle and its surviving buildings helps bring to life the English Civil War, the lavish Stuart court and the Cavendish family’s major role of in local and British history.

Fantastic experience. Beautiful castle, castle grounds and amazing views. Weve visited in an extreme heat with 3 young kids which was exhausting but still extremely worth the visit. Rooms are beautiful and there is plenty to see, everything is in a very good condition. Staff lovely and helpful and a lot of them especially at the entrance were very passionate about their job. Lovely site and a lovely playpark for children. Such a shame we couldnt use it because of the heat. Playpark is placed in full sun with not a bit of shade on it and the equipment was so hot you couldnt even touch it. Shame there isnt a canopy or something as all the kids were getting very restless in the cafe and there wasnt a single child playing.

Brilliant castle. Amazing views from the terrace and the wall walk across miles of countryside. Beautiful buildings and so sad when you hear that some were left to ruin during the civil war when the garrison left they removed the roofs and changed the doors to flimsy options. We joined the tour guide, who was brilliant and told you the stories and pointed out the changes in architecture as the buildings were built. So wonderful to see one of the only intact horse arenas left and where William Cavendish began manège the forerunner of todays Dressage - his book still in print today! Well worth a visit, super friendly staff and ice little tea room too.

Wanted to visit since I was a child but was never able to, so for our honeymoon my husband brought me here. Absolutely loved it ❤️. Full of history, full of feeling. Staff are amazing definitely recommended.

Fabulous castle, amazing views. The walled garden🌺🌹🌼🌸🌷🌿 is my ultimate favourite. Great café with vegan options🎈🎈🎊! Very helpful and super cheerful staff, especially Karen and Stephanie, who came up with suggestions for unloading my wheelchair closer to the entrance in case the car park is full. There are toilets at entrance and in the grounds. I did find the visit to this beautiful castle very accessible for my powered wheelchair♿... nice, wide paths.Wonderful day out 💗

Enjoyable day for a family of 4 and a dog. Easy to find - well signposted - and clearly laid out. Not too busy, which was nice. Very dig friendly, she was only not allowed in the Little Castle, which is more than acceptable.

Cool place. Lots of rich history to learn and walk around. Castle wall walk is very neat as it allows you to look at the garden and have a great view of the city. Cafe and shop are at the entrance. Parking seems to be free. Great place to come to relax or experience a piece of history while taking in a breathtaking view. The hall before the castle has a 2nd hand bookstore and a small historical display. Staff are very nice and helpful. Playground available near cafe, seemed robust. Toilets are located near cafe and near the hall.

Nice castle to look around.Not the biggest of castles however you can find some fascinating architecture there, especially fountain in the middle of the garden. You can also see spectacular views from the castle wall walk. Ufortunately not wheelchair friendly.The car park next to the castle is free. So if you are looking for something to see and explore then pop in.

One of the best castles Ive visited. Large site with lots to see and explore. Rooms which lead to rooms which lead to rooms with spectacular views. Ground are large and room for familys to enjoy. Cafe of site offers a good selection of food and drink. Play area for the children.

Completely lovely place to explore! Took us a couple of hours to get round and was worth the visit in our opinion. Maybe a bit restrictive for someone who has walking difficulties however there is still plenty to see even if you cannot get into the castle. Nice place to take a packed lunch and relax for a few hours.

English Heritage run, so if not a member charge apply,parking in village and overspill adjacent to walls, Interesting and good information boards, horse oriented with inside menage , wonderful views, nice enclosed garden, cafe, gift shop. Please be aware for people with mobility issues there is stairs to access upper floors and no lifts or ramps.

Great place. The staff is friendly and professional. The small castle is still standing and all the rooms are nice with original decor and fire places. The fountain outside is really interesting. The court yard garden is great when the sun shines. The other part of the castle is a ruin. The stable are very interesting too. Nice views all around as it stand high on the hill. Nice little second hand book shop. Do stop and buy a couple of books!

Great English Heritage site to take small kids to. Not too big, so ok for a 3 year old to walk round. Stunning views. Great playground and cafe. Nice green spaces to picnic in too. Gift shop overpriced - as expected. Could do with more parking.

Last Sunday, 20th June, we had an amazing day at the castle. My 30 y.o. son loves jousting and this was the reason for our visit. We arrived at 10am and stayed to the very end. Honestly, we enjoyed every minute of it. Will certainly go to the next one in August

Absolutely beautiful place to visit. Grandson loved the knights show #warwickwarriors. Will definitely be back for a longer look round the castle.

Great place to walk around in a nice little village. Theres free parking next to the castle.The views from the site are excellent and theres a good amount to walk around.The wall walk(?is a nice walk that gives a birds eye view of the walled garden and worth getting up the couple of sets of small stairs.Theres a cafe/gift shop with toilets as well as plenty of seating inside and out right at the entrance to the site.

Had a great visit to Bolsover Castle today. Amazing history to read and what the guides told us. Stunning photos/views. A sight into how it might have been in the castle. It was late on in the day when we visited and it started to rain towards the end of the visit, but it meant that there were only the two of us and a family there, so got some good photos!

This is a spectacular place. Really pretty and the little castle is the most well kept castle I’ve ever seen - you could imagine people living in it now! (So good i forgot to take pictures inside!)

Wonderful remains of a old castle for children to explore, plenty of ground for a bit of a childrens run around, nice play area for the smaller ones, there are also some stunning bits of architecture in the remaining keep section and wonderful views over the valley.

I live very close - can see my house from some areas. Lots of interesting rooms but no signs describing them. Lovely short walk on the top of the garden wall. Loads of work been carried out since I first came here years ago.

Wonderful Birthday day out visiting Bolsover Castle, a well preserved castle situated on top of a hill with amazing views across the vale. Staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, the food and drinks are reasonably priced and the gift shop has gifts for all ages and wallets.Driven past Bolsover Castle many times on the M1 and really pleased we took the time to visit today.

Pleasantly surprised, I had reasonable expectations but found the whole experience more interesting than I initially hoped for, location is good with fine views, architecturally very ornate, staff were very well informed and engaging, some in period costume, some rooms under renovation so it will be worth a trip back at some point, historically fascinating, a pleasure Palace and weekend retreat, for a very select few! If only walls could speak, all in all well worth a visit

Nice little castle to visit, a little gallery, a dressage arena, and most of the castle itself is accessible, wall walk around the garden which has a fountain in the centre, café, gift shop, and toilets at the entrance plus a play park. Parking is free in the 3 carparks but space is limited.

Very easy to find and such a fantastic place to visit, with having an audio guide you can learn so much more they even have a touch screen whereas your kids can listen and view videos and have an idea of what it looked like as new. It also has a cafe where you can have refreshments and a slice of cake.Overall its a beautiful place to visit by yourself or as a family,just keep in mind you wont be able to go in the castle if you have a wheelchair/pushchair we did leave our pushchair outside as it was a nice day but not ideal if its raining.

Lovely grounds and castle. Good hours worth around, it was raining so we didnt take time outdoors. Plenty of rooms to look around. The fruit wines were lovely.

Lovely castle in a lovely location. Wasnt too busy for a Saturday. At the moment there is an Easter hunt for the kids (pay 1.50 extra for the hunt and reward [chocolate or jelly beans]), but will keep them entertained. Plenty to explore, and is a very nice view from up there

Absolutely love this castle. The maze of rooms in the tower are remarkable and there are plenty of guides available to speak to. The outer grounds are also incredibly preserved and for the price charged to visit, I think this castle gives plenty to enjoy! I would highly recommend.

Bolsover Castle is a very interesting place to visit. If you can defiently get the interactive guide or hang about and listen to one of the free tours that happen twice a day. If not you might miss out on some interesting facts about the castle. The almost panoramic views are amazing and theres lots to see in the small castle. Some rooms have been recently refurbished but you still get a real sense of what it must of been like to live around that period of time. Local car parks opposite the castle can become busy, although there is extra parking in the left side of the castle grounds, just follow the signs and its free. Facilities are good and the toilets were very clean.

English-heritage site, a nice little "weekend house" for the Cavindish family. Full of history and ambiance.Watch out when walking on ramparts for windy conditions. It can blow your phone away.

What a superb place to visit. Full of historical interest with lots of things to explore, touch and experience.Excellent value for money.

Easily the best English heritage site we have visited so far. Lots to see and do in and around the castle, with the little castle having done stunning rooms.The views from the wall walk are amazing and a lovely cafe to have a drink and relax when you’ve finished. We had a great visit and the staff are friendly and informative too!

A great place to visit outside Chesterfield! There are a few buildings to look at and walk around. Some are ruins with information and others you can go inside. The best part is the Tower in the middle, based on the White Tower at the Tower of London.Lovely, helpful staff!

Fantastic place to visit. Such interesting history and the staff were amazing knowledgeable and so willing to share. The visit was very enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Nice castle to look around. Some great views from the castle wall walk and plenty to look at and see. Not the biggest of castles but some fascinating architecture. Has a shop, toilets and cafe on site. The car parks next to the castle are free to park. If you are looking for something to see and explore for a couple of hours then the castle is a worthwhile visit.

After driving nearly 2 hours to get here, we was very impressed with the place. The guides inside the castle were very informative and friendly. Unfortunately I cant give 5 stars as there was no where for us to sit and eat our picnic sheltered from the freezing wind and rain. I had asked if we could buy hot drinks and eat, but told we couldnt, which I can understand, however it was empty in the cafe and with 2 small children it was unfair to make them sit outdoors. I would suggest maybe offering a bit of shelter from the wind for those of us that still want to visit in the winter months.