Parking is free for visitors. The car park is gravel with a path which runs up to the entrance, around 200 metres away. There is space for approximately 115 cars and there are 14 accessible spaces. Improvements to the car park have been made as part of the Belsay Awakes project.
The Tea Room offers hot and cold refreshments. You can also enjoy a bite to eat at the Coach House café by the castle.
You are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy at one of our picnic tables located in the stables courtyard.
Toilets are located near the car park before entering through the shop. Baby changing facilities are available in the accessible toilet. A Changing Places facility is also located at the toilet block (ask for a key from admissions).
Toilets are also available by the Coach House café near the castle.
Dogs are allowed in the grounds on a short lead. No dogs allowed in the hall or castle. Assistance dogs are welcome.
Extensive list of events throughout the year. Please see Events page for details.
Belsay is renowned for having one of the most extraordinary picturesque garden landscapes in England. The landscape divides into formal gardens, near to the house, and the wild gardens beyond. Most remarkable are the romantic quarry gardens on the walk to the castle. Paths through the grounds are flat and accessible for pushchairs and wheelchairs. Seating and rest areas are found in the formal gardens, East Quarry path and at the castle. It is a 1/2 mile walk from the hall through the gardens to the castle. There area around 40 acres to explore in total.
Highchairs are available at the stables courtyard catering trailer.
Some rooms in the hall and castle are lit by natural light. There are some uneven floors in the hall and at the castle. Please take care when walking around the site.
English Heritage welcomes amateur photographers to our sites and we hope you will share your pictures of your visit with us on social media.
If you are looking to use one of our sites for commercial, corporate or professional photography or as a filming location, please contact our filming team as soon as possible to check availability and acquire the relevant permissions and paperwork.
Due to the delicate nature of our sites, English Heritage does not permit drone flying from or over sites in our care, except by contractors or partners undertaking flights for a specific purpose, who satisfy stringent CAA criteria, have the correct insurances and permissions, and are operating under controlled conditions.
