There is something rather appealing about the idea of staying in a castle near the Yorkshire Dales. You get the countryside, the big skies, the walking and the villages, but instead of coming back to a fairly ordinary hotel at the end of the day, you get to go back to a castle.

It sounds wonderfully romantic, doesn’t it?

But what is a castle stay actually like? Is it all grand dining rooms and feeling as though you ought to dress for dinner? Are you expected to know your way around a map and own a pair of very serious walking boots? And does staying somewhere called a castle feel a little bit formal?

The truth is, it can be much more relaxed than you might imagine.

At Augill Castle, in the Eden Valley just outside Kirkby Stephen, you get the fun of staying somewhere that really does look and feel like a castle, while still having the freedom to explore the Yorkshire Dales, Cumbria and the surrounding countryside at your own pace.

And that’s probably the first thing to know. A castle stay doesn’t have to be an occasion. It can simply be a really lovely place to stay for a few days.

You don’t have to be a serious walker

The Yorkshire Dales can sometimes give the impression that everyone who visits is a seasoned fell walker with an OS map tucked into their rucksack and several pairs of walking boots at home.

Thankfully, that’s not the case.

There are some spectacular walks in the Dales, of course, and if you love a proper day on the hills then you’ll be spoilt for choice. But you can enjoy this part of the world without turning your weekend into an endurance event. There are beautiful drives, pretty villages, market towns, waterfalls, country pubs, cafés and plenty of places where you can simply get out of the car and have a wander.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park has an enormous variety of landscapes and places to explore, from its famous limestone scenery and waterfalls to the villages and small towns dotted throughout the area.

So perhaps one day you’ll put your boots on and head out for a proper walk, while the next you might decide that your idea of exploring the Dales is driving somewhere beautiful, finding a good lunch and coming back to the castle for a bath.

Both count.

And yes, it really is a castle

This is probably one of the first things people want to know when they see the words ‘castle hotel’.

Is it actually a castle, or is it really a country house with a couple of turrets added to make the website sound more exciting?

Augill Castle was built in 1837 as a Victorian folly and originally intended as a weekend retreat. It has the towers, turrets, castellated details and mullioned windows that you secretly hope for when you book a stay in a castle, but inside it feels much more like a wonderfully eccentric country home than a museum.

There are antiques and plenty of character, but also comfortable spaces where you can actually relax. Bedrooms have their own individual feel, with features including four-poster beds, deep baths and views across the surrounding countryside.

And that’s rather important. You get the castle experience without feeling as though you’ve accidentally wandered into someone else’s historical re-enactment.

It feels more like a home than a hotel

If you’ve never stayed in a castle hotel before, this is probably the biggest difference between what you might expect and what a place like Augill actually feels like.

There isn’t an expectation that you behave in a certain way simply because you’re staying somewhere with turrets.

Augill has always had a much more informal, welcoming approach. The idea is that you should be able to settle in and feel comfortable, rather than spending your stay worrying about whether you’re doing things properly.

You can come back from a walk with muddy boots, find somewhere warm to sit and take your time over a drink. You can curl up with a book, have a game with the family or simply sit and enjoy being somewhere that feels a million miles away from everyday life.

It’s much more ‘come in, make yourself at home’ than ‘mind your manners, you’re in a castle’.

And, for many people, that’s what makes the difference.

You may find yourself spending more time at the castle than you expected

Most people booking a stay near the Yorkshire Dales will have a list of places they want to see. That’s part of the fun. But one of the slightly unexpected pleasures of staying somewhere like Augill is discovering that the accommodation itself becomes part of the holiday.

There are gardens and grounds to explore, as well as spaces inside the castle designed for guests to actually enjoy. There’s a library, a cinema and games, while families have outdoor play areas and a treehouse to investigate.

Which means you don’t have to feel that you need to leave the castle at nine o’clock every morning and spend every waking hour sightseeing.

You might head out for the day and come back tired and happy, but you might also wake up, have a leisurely breakfast, wander around the grounds and realise that actually, you don’t particularly fancy going anywhere.

That’s allowed.

In fact, we’d recommend leaving some room in your plans for it.

The location might not be quite what you expect

When people search for a castle stay near the Yorkshire Dales, they often assume they need to be right in the middle of the National Park.

But being just outside it can actually be rather useful.

Augill sits in the Upper Eden Valley, around four miles from Kirkby Stephen and roughly ten minutes from the Yorkshire Dales. It also sits between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District, which gives you an unusually good choice of countryside to explore.

You can head east into the Dales, or west towards the Lakes, depending on what takes your fancy. You can spend a day exploring the surrounding countryside, visit Kirkby Stephen or nearby Appleby, for a slower afternoon, or simply stay close to the castle and enjoy the Eden Valley.

It means you aren’t tied to one particular itinerary, which is especially useful if you’re staying for a few nights and want each day to feel a little different.

So what do you actually do while you’re there?

Well, walking is an obvious one, but it doesn’t have to be the only reason you’re visiting.

The countryside around the Eden Valley and Yorkshire Dales is ideal for getting outside, whether you’re after a gentle stroll or something more challenging. If you’re planning a walking holiday, there are plenty of routes and long-distance trails within reach, and Augill makes a particularly good base for exploring the wider area.

Kirkby Stephen is also close enough to make an easy outing. It’s around four miles from the castle and is the sort of place where you can have a wander around the market square, find somewhere for lunch and enjoy a few hours without needing to plan an entire day around it.

Then, of course, there are the Yorkshire Dales themselves. If you’ve never explored this part of the country, you could easily spend several days discovering the villages, waterfalls, limestone landscapes and winding roads. Places such as Hawes, Aysgarth, Reeth, Malham and Grassington all offer their own take on the Dales, and the National Park’s visitor centres are useful starting points if you’re not sure where to begin.

Or you could do absolutely none of that. And honestly, we think that’s worth remembering.

Sometimes the best thing to do is stay put

There is a slightly strange habit we have when we go away. We book somewhere beautiful and then spend the entire weekend trying to get away from it.

You don’t need to do that at Augill.

Have breakfast slowly. Spend some time outside. Read a book. Play a game. Have afternoon tea. Sit somewhere comfortable with a drink. Let the children disappear off and explore. Go for dinner and then wander back to your room.

There is no rule that says you have to leave a castle simply because you’ve paid to stay in it.

Sometimes the best part of a countryside break is having nowhere you particularly need to be.

What should you pack for a castle stay near the Yorkshire Dales?

This isn’t really the place for a suitcase full of clothes that you’re terrified of getting dirty.

If you’re planning to explore the countryside, bring sensible shoes and a waterproof coat. Layers are always useful because the weather in this part of the country has a habit of changing its mind, sometimes several times in one day.

Walking boots are a good idea if you’re planning proper walks, but you don’t need to arrive looking as though you’re about to tackle the Pennine Way simply because you’re staying in a castle.

It’s also worth bringing something comfortable for the evenings. After a day outside, there is something very satisfying about getting cleaned up, putting on something comfortable and settling down somewhere warm for the evening.

Especially if the alternative is going back out to find somewhere to eat.

And what about food?

For us, food is an important part of a castle weekend. You’ve spent the day exploring, you’ve got a little mud on your boots and you’ve probably worked up an appetite, so the prospect of sitting down somewhere lovely and having someone else cook is part of the appeal.

At Augill, food is part of the stay rather than simply something you need to organise around it. Breakfast and dining are available at the castle, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options catered for.

That can make a real difference when you’re away for a few days. You don’t need to work out where you’re going to eat every night, stock up on supplies or come back from a long walk and discover that nobody remembered to buy milk.

You can just sit down and eat.

Which, after a day outside, is exactly what you want.

Is a castle stay suitable for families?

A castle might sound like a slightly intimidating choice for a family holiday. You can picture children being told not to touch anything, not to make too much noise and definitely not to run around.

Augill isn’t like that.

It has been designed to be somewhere families can genuinely enjoy themselves, with space to explore, games, outdoor play areas and plenty for children to discover. There’s even a treehouse, and during school holidays Little Augill Cooks gives children aged 7–14 the chance to get involved in cooking.

The result is that staying in a castle doesn’t have to mean constantly trying to keep everyone entertained. There is space for children to do their thing, while grown-ups can actually relax too.

And if you’ve ever been away with children, you’ll know that’s quite an important part of the holiday.

What about a castle stay for couples?

It works rather beautifully for couples too, although the romance isn’t necessarily the obvious, over-the-top kind.

It’s more about having a few days where nobody is asking you what time you’re going to be somewhere.

You can go for a long walk together, find a pub or café for lunch, come back to the castle, have a bath and get ready for dinner. You can sit with a drink, talk for hours and then wander upstairs to a bedroom with a four-poster bed.

The rooms at Augill are all a little different, with plenty of character and features such as antique furniture, four-poster beds and views across the countryside.

And because you’re surrounded by countryside, there is very little pressure to fill every minute.

You can simply disappear for a couple of days.

So, what does a castle stay near the Yorkshire Dales actually feel like?

Probably less grand and formal than you imagine, and much more comfortable.

It feels like having a beautiful country house as your base for a few days, except that the country house happens to have turrets, towers and a rather good story behind it.

It feels like coming back from a walk and having somewhere warm to sit. It feels like breakfasts that stretch a little longer than planned, evenings that aren’t rushed and having the freedom to decide what you want to do when you wake up.

You can explore the Yorkshire Dales one day and the Lake District the next. You can head into Kirkby Stephen for a wander, spend the afternoon walking or simply stay at the castle and enjoy the fact that, for a little while, you don’t have to be anywhere else.

And perhaps that’s the nicest thing about choosing a castle stay near the Yorkshire Dales.

You’re not just booking somewhere to sleep while you explore the area. You’re choosing somewhere that is part of the experience.

If you’re looking for a castle stay near the Yorkshire Dales, Augill Castle sits in a lovely position between the Dales and the Lake District, giving you plenty to explore while offering somewhere comfortable, characterful and decidedly different to come back to.

Because a good countryside break isn’t necessarily about seeing as much as possible.

Sometimes it’s about coming home feeling as though you’ve actually had a break.

FAQs: Castle Stays Near the Yorkshire Dales

Is Augill Castle in the Yorkshire Dales?

Augill Castle isn’t actually inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It’s in the Upper Eden Valley, just outside Kirkby Stephen and around ten minutes from the Yorkshire Dales. Its position between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District makes it a useful base if you’d like to explore both areas during your stay.

How far is Augill Castle from the Yorkshire Dales?

Augill Castle is approximately ten minutes from the Yorkshire Dales, depending on which part you’re heading to. It’s also around four miles from Kirkby Stephen, making it easy to combine a castle stay with exploring the surrounding towns, villages and countryside.

Do you have to be a walker to stay at a castle near the Yorkshire Dales?

Not at all. The Dales are fantastic for walking, but there are plenty of other ways to enjoy the area, including visiting villages and market towns, exploring local attractions, enjoying country pubs and cafés or simply taking in the scenery. You can also have a perfectly good weekend at Augill without going on a long walk at all.

Is Augill Castle good for a family break?

Yes. Augill is particularly well suited to families, with gardens and grounds to explore, games, outdoor play areas and a treehouse. The castle was listed in The Telegraph as the Best Boutique Family Hotel 2025 by Sara Sherwood.

Is a castle stay near the Yorkshire Dales romantic?

Very much so, particularly if what you want from a romantic break is time together rather than a rigid itinerary. A castle bedroom, countryside walks, good food, drinks in the evening and the chance to switch off for a few days makes for a rather lovely couples’ escape. The added bonus is that you don’t have to spend the whole weekend driving from one attraction to another.

The Good Hotel Guide listed Augill Castle as it’s editors choice for Romantic Hotels 2026.