Raby Castle, Park and Gardens - Darlington

Paul G.

Stunning place to visit. Beautiful entrance gardens with a fantastic restaurant/cafe with heaps of choice of freshly prepared high quality meals/snacks/cakes etc. The restaurant can be visitors without having to pay to enter the grounds/castle.
Lovely shop with some great items/produce on sale.
Lots of history all around. Castle deer park grounds extensive offering short or longer walks. A great large walled garden also.
Castle itself has lots to see and learn. A stunning building.
Plenty of parking even on a busy day. All staff encountered were helpful and friendly.
Would definitely return and highly recommend!

Diane Shirvinton

We have travelled this area many times over the years but only found out about this hidden gem from a TV program by Robson Green.
We really enjoyed our visit. We went around the castle as well as walked all around the grounds and parkland.

We had tea and cake in the cafe. It was pricey but well worth it. All the food and sweet treats looked delicious.
They have spent money on the gardens, cafe, shop and toilets. Money very well spent. The shop had quality items not the usual tat that these shops often sell.
I would definitely recommend a visit here.
There is also what looked like a fantastic play area, placed slightly away from the castle. It looked very popular with families with children. It's probably worth further investigation if you have children.

Marianne

Lovely medieval Castle with lots of history and beautiful rooms to explore.
It has a big deer park to walk, and the deer seem fairly used to people, so you can get a good look at them. The park is dog friendly as long as they are kept on leads.
The gardens are nice and well kept, with a maze to go round.
Cafe is newly built, I did think it was a little expensive.
Plenty of parking.

Corene Newbery

Stunningly clean and welcoming castle experience. Beautiful landscaped gardens, a fab artisan market, really delicious food at the cafe, and impressive and interesting volunteers to share insights in the various rooms. The kids fort was well built and great for leg stretching. A really wonderful day out for our various family ages.

Rockett Man

Excellent experience at the castle today. The owners have made several improvements to the property, including increased parking and an indoor/outdoor restaurant. Beautiful grounds and walking paths. The staff are all pleasant and well informed about the property and history of the castle.
The castle is large but not overly so and is full of history and exhibits from the families that have called it home.
Great for families, although those with mobility issues will only be able to access the outer parts of the castle or the grounds. Good place for children but moving strollers around the castle will be difficult.
Overall an excellent place to visit and learn about the past.

Nicola Halsall

Beautiful walled gardens, deer Park & cafe. We didn't visit the castle interior as we had dogs with us but everything we saw was beautifully maintained. A variety of walks around the grounds and plenty of deer spotting opportunities. The cafe was reasonably priced and have a good range of items including vegan and gluten free. A few extra benches and rubbish bins around the deer park would have been well received, particularly as dogs are welcome (on-lead) in all areas apart from the castle.

W Bagehot

Definitely worth a visit. But mind you, with a guide. Otherwise you could underrate the castle, which belongs to a family that has played a pivotal role in the history of Britain.
In addition to visiting several key rooms (entrance hall, library, kitchen, etc.), the ticket allows you to wander around the surroundings of the castle, including the lovely gardens, impressive stables, glass greenhouse, etc. Also, you can enjoy the sight of deer herds that are wandering around the castle.
Last but not least, the food of the restaurant/coffee shop is truly remarkable. And the views of the Estate from this place are superb. The ticket price might seem a bit high, but trust me, in this particular case, they are absolutely worth every penny. What a nice way to spend a full day!

Tina Roslyn

Visited today with our dog. The gardens are stunning and well maintained. The deer park was great to walk around, I was amazed at the amount of deer we saw close up. They were so calm and not unsettled by seeing people or dogs. The scones in the tea room were delicious and so fresh. Would highly recommend.