We're looking forward to welcoming you back. The garden, estate, castle courtyard, café, Home Farm kiosk, car park and Home Farm toilets are now open. The castle interior remains closed. To ensure the safety of our visitors, staff, volunteers and local communities, we've reduced the number of people we can welcome at one time and you’ll need to book your visit in advance. In this article you’ll find everything you need to know about what's open and what to expect from your visit.
You'll need to book your tickets by 3pm on the day before your visit, even if you are just visiting the estate. Members can book for free, while non-members will need to pay when booking. We'll be releasing tickets every Friday. Please note we'll be turning people away who arrive and haven't booked.
Arrival and parking
When you arrive at the entrance to the car park, please have your ticket ready to show our staff, either on your phone or a printed copy. If you’re a member, you’ll also need to show your membership card. You'll asked to show these through your closed vehicle window before parking.
In order to maintain social distancing, please arrive within your timeslot. Sadly, if you're more than 10 minutes late, we won’t be able to guarantee you entry. Your entry will be at the discretion of the property staff and will be based on visitor numbers and the ability to maintain social distancing.
We have a large car park at Chirk Castle, so there is plenty to space to park away from others. We also have designated parking for blue badge holders; please ask a member of staff on arrival.
Campervans that are used for transport are welcome but are not permitted to stay overnight and we’re unable to welcome caravans and coaches at this time.
There is no limit to the amount of time you can spend at Chirk Castle during your visit, but you will need to exit the property by 5pm.
Staying safe
The safety of our staff, volunteers and visitors is our priority. To ensure that social distancing is maintained we have set up new one-way routes in parts the property. Look out for the signs that will explain any changes to how you can access different parts of the site.
To help keep everyone safe, please follow social distancing and government guidance when you visit. If you’re showing any of the symptoms of coronavirus, or if you've been in contact with anyone who has the virus in the last 14 days, please don’t visit.
What's open?
The garden, castle courtyard, café (11am - 3pm), estate, car park, Home Farm toilets and Home Farm kiosk (10am - 4pm) are now open. Please note, we are only able to accept card payments at present.
To ensure the safety of our visitors, staff, and volunteers, the castle, tower, shop, second-hand bookshop, kitchen garden and children’s play areas remain closed until further notice. We’re working hard to get these open as soon as it is safe to do so.
Toilets and baby changing facilities are available, with queue markers to maintain a safe one in/one out system. These are sanitised by our facilities team throughout the day.
The estate
To ensure the safety of our visitors, staff, volunteers and local communities, we've reduced the number of people we can welcome onto the property at one time, so you’ll need to book a ticket even if you are only planning to visit the estate.
The garden
The garden is looking lovely, but it won’t be quite as you’re used to seeing it. We’ve had almost no gardeners at the property for many weeks, whilst everyone stayed at home and stayed safe.
We have a small team in now, but nowhere near what we’re used to, so the garden isn't perhaps as well-groomed as you might be expecting. There are some weeds and rough edges but please bear with us as we do what we can, as soon as we can, and instead enjoy the many other pleasures that our garden and estate has to offer.
Accessibility
Most of the new one-way garden route follows hard-standing paths which are wheelchair and pushchair friendly and there is seating available to offer you a place to rest along the way. However, one stretch of path is grass, and this may become muddy following heavy rain.
If you have accessibility concerns or need a shorter/step-free route of the garden, please talk to a member of staff at the Garden Entrance who will be happy to help.
Unfortunately, we're not able to offer a shuttle bus service at this time and we are also not able to provide wheelchairs for visitors.
Accessible toilets are available at Home Farm and these are sanitised by our facilities team throughout the day.
Access with dogs
Dogs are welcome in all outdoor areas with the exception of the garden, which welcomes registered assistance dogs only. We just ask that you keep your four-legged friend on a lead at all times.
Please note: We know the Chirk Castle estate is a popular destination amongst dog walkers. However, to ensure the safety of our visitors, staff, volunteers and local communities, we've reduced the number of people we can welcome onto the property at any one time, so you’ll need to book a ticket even if you are only planning to visit the estate.
Booking your visit
All visitors must book a ticket in advance, including members. Entry and parking are free for members, but please bring your membership card with you. Non-members will need to pay in advance.
- Please book one ticket per person, except for children under five as they don’t need a ticket.
- You’ll need to choose a 30-minute arrival time for the day you want to visit.
- The timeslot is for your arrival time only and you are welcome to stay as long at you like. The property gates will close at 5pm.
- Tickets are for your use only and are not available for resale.
- We'll send your booking confirmation by email. Please make sure you fill in your correct email address when you book to ensure you receive your confirmation email.
- Every Friday we'll release new bookings for visits the following week. You can book up to 18 hours before a timeslot.
- Carers can continue to access our places for free with an essential companions' card. Carers don't need to book a ticket for themselves, but the person they accompany will need a pre-booked ticket.
Due to limited spaces, we’re asking that you only book once a week to allow others a chance to visit.
Help support key workers
To say thank you to our nation's key workers and all they have done for us, we're encouraging visitors to keep the first and last slots of each day free for key workers to use. While we are unable to 'reserve' these slots exclusively for key workers, we hope you will join us in thanking them by leaving these times free. If you or someone in your group are a key worker, please take the opportunity to book these early and late timeslots.
Picnics
You are welcome to enjoy your picnic anywhere in the garden or estate. Please take all rubbish home or place it in the bins provided.
Scooters/Bikes/Skateboards/Rollerblades
Unfortunately, independent toys with wheels are not currently permitted in the garden for health and safety reasons and to aid social distancing.
