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Wray
Parkland and castle on the west shore of Windermere.
Low Wray, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0JA
Important notice
Please note, the Castle building is currently closed for refurbishment BUT there’s lots to do as our grounds, facilities and café are still open daily.
Opening times for 5 July 2025
Asset Opening time Grounds 08:00 - 20:00 JOEY'S Café 09:30 - 16:30 MTWTFSS3012345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031123OpenPartially openClosed- Bookshop
- Café
- Car park
Entry to Wray is free. If you're not a National Trust (or National Trust for Scotland) member then you'll need to pay for parking. Up to 2 hours £6.50 Up to 4 hours £8.00 All day (4+ hours) £9.50 Payment machines take cash but you can park and pay by PayByPhone or online www.paybyphone.co.uk on a card.
- Cycle parking
Cycle parking is located down the road past the accessible parking; in the picnic area by the lower car park; between the lower and upper carpark; and outside the café.
- Dogs allowed
Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds and cafe.
- Guided tour
- Toilet
Level access to the outside of the castle. Blue Badge parking in the top car park. Disabled toilet near the café. All-terrain mobility scooter available for hire.
- Accessible route and/or map
- Accessible toilet
- Designated parking
- Level access to food outlet
- Level access/terrain
- Powered mobility vehicle available
Pre-booking advised.
- Seating available
- Steps/uneven terrain
- On foot
From the south, follow the lakeshore track from Ferry Head (4 miles). From the north, off road paths exist for the majority of the route, signed Bowness via Ferry, look out for the blue signs. From Hawkshead village, follow bridleway (3 miles).
- Car-Free
Travel the green way and help us preserve this amazing place. Plan your car-free visit with Good Journey
- Cycling
Off road cycle paths from Ambleside, signed Bowness via Ferry, and south of the castle, along the west shore track between Claife Viewing Station and Wray, on the west shore of Windermere. Look out for the blue signs. National route 6 passes nearby. Bike racks at Wray castle and at the third party café. Cycle Hire is available from several places in the local area. Please view this webpage for details: https://www.visitcumbria.com/bike-hire-windermere/ Plan your car-free visit with Good Journey
- By ferry
The Windermere car ferry runs a daily limited service. Please check before travelling. Once getting off the ferry, it is a 4 mile walk or cycle along the Windermere west shore path to Wray Castle or a 6 mile drive, via Hawkshead. Plan your car-free visit with Good Journey
- By train
The nearest train station is Windermere, see National Rail to plan your journey Plan your car-free visit with Good Journey
- By bus
Year-round, regular buses from Ambleside and Hawkshead (10 mins), Windermere and Coniston (30 mins) stop nearby. It’s then a 20-minute, off-road stroll to the Castle. Get the 505 bus: Kendal to Coniston route. Check timetables and routes at Stagecoach Plan your car-free visit with Good Journey
- By road
Narrow roads in some places. Not recommended for motorhomes. Not suitable for coaches - maximum size minibus 16 seater. From the south and Bowness (via Ferry) take the B5285 through Hawkshead where this becomes the B5286. Continue on this road for 2.5 miles, then take the right hand turn to Wray Castle. From the north and Ambleside, take the A593 to Clappersgate, then take the B5286 signed to Hawkshead. After 2.5 miles take the left turn, to Wray Castle. Plan your car-free visit with Good Journey
We do no have campervan or minibus parking at the castle
Parking: Pay and display (non-members) £6.50 for 2 hrs, £8.00 for 4 hrs and £9.50 all day. Members - please scan your card for free parking. Thank you. Please note: there is no parking for campervans or minibuses at the castle.
Sat Nav: Post code LA22 0JA
Planning your visit
Article
Top Ten Things to do at Wray
There's so much to discover in the grounds and parkland at Wray from panoramic views across Lake District fells, lakeside walks, woodlands and more.
Project
Project
Wray Castle Restoration Project
A major restoration project is underway at Wray Castle. This important and historical Lake District property, ignited Beatrix Potter’s love of the area, when the family stayed in the castle on their holidays in 1882. This essential project will invest in both the castle and the wider estate, ensuring they remain welcoming, engaging spaces for generations to come.
Article
Borrow a mobility scooter to explore the Wray estate
Borrow a tramper mobility vehicle, an all-terrain scooter which makes Wray estate more accessible to those who are less physically able.
Article
Visiting Wray parkland and castle with your dog
Wray is a three pawprint rated place. You can explore all of the estate at Wray with your dog on a lead. You can purchase treats for your dog at the cafe, find a water station and stick store!
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Highlights
Lakeshore Access
Shingle beach for easy access to England's largest lake.
Parkland & Walking Trails
Explore the lakeshore and parkland on waymarked trails, starting at the front of the castle. Or use the castle as a starting point for longer walks in the area.
JOEY's Café (Independently Run)
Independent café serving vegan baked goods, savoury snacks, locally roasted coffee, teas and hot chocolate.
Gothic Revival Boathouse and Miniature Harbour
One of the largest boathouses in the Lake District and an imposing entrance to the estate for visitors when arriving by water.
Small Arboretum
Like many Victorian Lakeland villas, Wray has a collection of giant exotic fir trees. It is said that William Wordsworth planted the Mulberry tree in the grounds in 1845. There are some other interesting specimen trees, such as sequoias, cedar and beech. Many of the surviving veteran oaks in the parkland pre-date the Castle.
Grounds Tour
Learn more about the history of the Wray estate on our 45-minute Walk and Talk tour. Running every day at 10.30 and 14.30.
Spotlight events
Wray Grounds Tour - Walk & Talk
Want to learn more about the history of the Wray estate? Why not join one of our 45-minute Walk and Talk’s with a knowledgeable member of the Wray team running every day at 10.30 and 14.30.
Blelham Tarn Circular Guided Walk
This circular guided walk starts from the castle at Wray combining tranquil beauty, great views and information about the local area.
Summer of Play
Summer of Play at Wray stretches across the summer holidays. Designed for families and children of all ages, Wray’s outdoor spaces will become zones of activity.
Things to see and do
Article
Exploring the Grounds at Wray
Wray is a true landscape masterpiece, and the parkland has changed little over the years. Take a walk in the grounds around the castle and park and discover some of the features of this great estate, still much as they were when they were built.
Article
Family-friendly things to do at Wray
Discover what family-friendly activities are on offer at Wray parkland and castle, from outdoor walks and lakeside views to a scenic boat cruise across Windermere * *seasonal.
Article
Top Ten Things to do at Wray
There's so much to discover in the grounds and parkland at Wray from panoramic views across Lake District fells, lakeside walks, woodlands and more.
Top trails
Trail
Wray to Blelham Tarn circular walk
Discover fascinating stories from the past and enjoy some great views on a circular walk from Wray to Blelham Tarn that also takes in the Windermere shoreline.
Trail
Wray to Latterbarrow circular walk
Starting and finishing at the castle at Wray, this route through fields and woodland offers rewarding Lakes views without the big fell climb.
Trail
Wray Specimen Tree Trail
Wray has a small arboretum in its grounds. An arboretum is a botanical collection of trees, selected and planted because they are exotic, non-native or botanically interesting. It is likely that the arboretum was started at the same time the castle was built by the Dawsons during the 1840’s.
Eating
Article
Eating at Wray
Need some refreshment during your visit to Wray? Our partners at JOEY's Café offer a wide range of snacks and drinks to help you refuel before or after your adventures.
Places to stay
Low Wray Campsite
By Windermere, England’s largest lake, surrounded by things to do and places to visit.
The Summer House
A cosy house in the old kitchen garden of Wray Castle with views of stunning scenery all around.
Trees
A 1930s log and stone cabin high above Lake Windermere with a sun terrace and great views.
Silverthwaite
An inspiring spot looking out over Langdale Valley with Arts and Crafts influenced detail inside.
High Strawberry Gardens
A simple lakeside retreat for an uplugged holiday, with a jetty to launch your canoe or kayak in Windermere.
Low Strawberry Gardens
A simple lakeside retreat for an uplugged holiday, with a jetty to launch your canoe or kayak into Windermere.
Silverthwaite
An inspiring spot looking out over Langdale Valley with Arts and Crafts influenced detail inside.
Rose Castle Cottage
A two-bedroom cottage just above Tarn Hows with heaps of character in the heart of the Lakes.
Upcoming events
Event
Summer of Play at Wray 2025
Summer of Play at Wray kicks off in June and stretches across the summer holidays. Designed for families and children of all ages, Wray’s outdoor spaces will become zones of activity.
Event
Wray Grounds Tour - Walk & Talk
Want to learn more about the history of the Wray estate? Why not join one of our 45-minute Walk and Talk’s with a knowledgeable member of the Wray team, as they share the secrets and stories of Wray.
Event
Blelham Tarn Circular Guided Walk
This circular guided walk starts from the castle at Wray combining tranquil beauty, great views and information on the local area.
Event
Earth Day Outdoor Photography Exhibition
Earth Photo is a world leading international programme telling compelling stories about our planet, its inhabitants, its beauty, fragility, and resilience.
About Wray
Take a walk in the grounds at Wray and discover some of the features of this great estate, still much as they were when they were built, including an arboretum and yew walk, walled garden, boathouse, and miniature harbour.
Follow waymarked trails through beautiful grounds, parkland and woodland including a long stretch of shingle beach on the shores of Lake Windermere and panoramic Lake District views, Wray has it all in every season.
The imposing house in the Gothic form of a medieval castle, stands prominently in an elevated position above the lake. The vast building includes castellated towers, arrow slits, ruined battlements and an impressive porte-cochere. Although not open in 2025 dur to refurbishment, you can still find out more about this fascinating place on the twice daily castle and grounds 'walk and talk'.
Our work
Project
Project
Wray Castle Restoration Project
A major restoration project is underway at Wray Castle. This important and historical Lake District property, ignited Beatrix Potter’s love of the area, when the family stayed in the castle on their holidays in 1882. This essential project will invest in both the castle and the wider estate, ensuring they remain welcoming, engaging spaces for generations to come.
History
Article
History of Wray Castle
Discover the history of the Wray Castle estate and the fascinating link that Hardwicke Rawnsley, one of the National Trust's three original founders, had with the property.
Article
Beatrix Potter
Discover how Beatrix Potter’s Victorian upbringing and fascination with animals culminated in a successful career as an author and illustrator and a passion for conservation.
Support us
Article
Volunteering at Wray
If you can see yourself working in the beautiful grounds of Wray Castle or welcoming visitors inside, we might just have a role for you. Find out more about volunteering here.