Glenarm Castle
Glenarm Castle
4
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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- CoveCoffeeShopGlenarm, United Kingdom35 contributionsBarbican GateThe Barbican Gate is an exceptional piece of history leading into the castle, adjoined to a bridge across Glenarm River. You can stay over here as the building is managed by The Irish Landmark Trust. You can see the Castle to the rear.Visited May 2024Travelled with familyWritten 14 May 2024
- Alex LManchester, United Kingdom46 contributionsA real gem!!On holiday to stay with family we went to Glenarm Castle on one of the days the castle itself was opened to the public for booked tours. Have to say inside the castle is lovely and William and George the Butler made the experience wonderfully informative. It's not very often in these types of homes you are invited to sit down and make yourself comfortable but here that is what happens. I sat on the dining chair that King Charles sat on on a recent visit!! The Castle had a very homely style and full of family photos and things to look at. I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately when our tour was over it rained for the rest of the afternoon but we did manage a trip around the walled garden which is lovely. There are a few shops, a pizza place and an ice cream parlour. Our group did buy pizzas and ice cream which were very nice. The cars in the vehicle museum were worth a look. I have to say though there isn't a real lot for families with children to do. I didn't see a play area. We had a baby in our group so it wasn't a problem but it was commented on by my family members that a proper play area would make a big difference to how often they visited. On our visits to Northern Ireland over the years we have probably visited all the stately homes more than once, but this was our first visit to Glenarm Castle. It's now my new favourite. Thank you George for bringing it alive.Visited August 2024Travelled with familyWritten 15 August 2024
- BBBallymena, United Kingdom39 contributionsDog park .We visited today with our 2 red setters for the first time . It was brilliant and the 2 dogs had the best time running free without a lead . Just wish we had wore wellies as our feet were soaking , but I was a day for the dogs and they loved it .Visited September 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 1 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.0
223 reviews
Excellent
102
Very good
68
Average
26
Poor
15
Terrible
12
Wexford747
New Ross, Co.Wexford59 contributions
Sept 2022
Lovely place , ruined by nonsense. We paid £17 entry fee (concession) and were informed that to gain access to the walled garden was by turn style at the cafe for which we were given 2 tokens. WE were at that point told that if we wished to leave the garden to explore further we would need to come back to the main office for 2 more tokens, the main office back through the cafe is probably 300 to 400 yards. SO if we had gone back we would need 4 tokens to get back into the walled garden and 2 to get through the second turn style. I find this irritating and the essence of stupidity. Paying an entry fee and then tokens for here and tokens for there is ridiculous , paying an entry fee should mean access and no tokens.
Written 8 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joanne
Northern Ireland, UK1 contribution
Apr 2023 • Family
myself, my husband and our three young children spent the night in pod 7 on Easter Monday. We had the most wonderful time. The setting is absolutely stunning and the pods were something really special. The kids loved the bunk beds and I loved wakening up to the sunrise over the sea. It was such a great stay and we had looked forward to it for a long time.
So much so that I would like to book again but when I went to book I see that there is now a surcharge for the children. This is something I have noticed about some of what would be your competitors and was a real benefit to your pods. I feel that this extra cost is really unfair and unfortunate, particularly when there is such a financial squeeze on working families. I understand that you have a business to run but to have to pay a penalty to bring your children with you is a real drawback and does not need to be the case.
So much so that I would like to book again but when I went to book I see that there is now a surcharge for the children. This is something I have noticed about some of what would be your competitors and was a real benefit to your pods. I feel that this extra cost is really unfair and unfortunate, particularly when there is such a financial squeeze on working families. I understand that you have a business to run but to have to pay a penalty to bring your children with you is a real drawback and does not need to be the case.
Written 14 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David H
Bury, UK1,657 contributions
Jul 2021
We stopped in the town to see the Castle, and walked into the grounds only to find that it was being set up for a major festival the following weekend, and most of the pathways and grounds were closed. We did manage to walk up to the cafe but did not feel like paying to view the walled gardens, which seemed quite expensive at £6 each.
In the end, we didnt even get to see the Castle at all, even from a distance!!
In the end, we didnt even get to see the Castle at all, even from a distance!!
Written 29 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Philip A
13 contributions
Nov 2022 • Family
From the moment I arrived in the car park I was completely underwhelmed. We paid £22 in advance (£8 per adult, £3 per child) in order to visit the 'Walled Garden' and the 'Nature Trail'. This is accessed by an electronic barrier at the café building (they give you a pin code at reception). We arrived around lunchtime on a Sunday an decided to eat first and I have to say the café is actually decent, good food and reasonably priced (depending on what you are getting of course). However after a spot of lunch, we entered the walled garden. Now, I understand that this is November and there's not much in bloom, and we are also probably spoiled in that we are National Trust members but this walled garden really wasn't anything special. The best parts of the garden were probably the borders and the most interesting thing for the kids was a mound that you can ascend but again it wasn't anything too spectacular. The nature trail is accessed through a door in the corner and we were gearing ourselves up for a few miles walk hoping this part of the visit would be a bit better. However, we were walking no more than 5 minutes and we noticed the path veering back in the direction we came - the walk / wooded area is tiny! Our frustrations got worse when we realised we couldn't even get near the castle, it's all restricted access / private signs up which I suppose is understandable if there is a family still living in it. We left the paid area feeling like it was a little expensive for all you got.. and then went to the ice cream parlor which uses fresh local milk and is quite decent. There's a few craft shops etc that might be if interest to some but I'm afraid I couldn't really recommend the place, unless it was a visit to the actual castle I suppose but even then, from reading other reviews the selection of rooms you can visit is very few. Sorry, not a good experience for us.
Written 11 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
30somethingmama
9 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
We go here every year, normally stunning but you can really see it going downhill now unfortunately. Mini land rovers have now been moved into the main area (at a cost) to squeeze that bit more money out of parents. Food was the worst - TINY burger (no chips, or option to buy additional food from the hot food bit), children get chicken nuggets and chips - no alternative, not even a teeny burger! And you get half a cup of juice and 2 cheap biscuits per adult handed to you, cheap 10p haribo sweets for the kids. Years ago they did broth and hotdogs, unlimited juice and biscuits INSIDE - much nicer. Feels like a cash cow now. Generally feels like cost cutting, bo big tree outside the sorting office any longer, massive queues for everything! Hats off though to some of the workers putting in their all! The Santa is always fantastic, as is the train conductor who is so funny every year. Unfortunately, it will be our last trip, too much money for what it is and they’ll keep pushing prices up every year whilst people are going mad for them when released in the summer!
Written 3 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matthew J
2 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
Welcome to beautiful Northern Ireland, the north Antrim coast and its views of the glens and Scotland are amongst the best in the work. Glenarm Castle and Gardens however is extremely poor value for money, £10 per adult to visit a walled garden and a very poor “museum”, a Wednesday in august and half the traders were shut too. Save your money and go to Antrim castle gardens, a beautiful parkland owned by the council and is totally free
Written 18 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Agent2112
Edinburgh, UK67 contributions
Sept 2022
We stopped here having meandered around the Causeway Coastal Route and thought it would be a nice place to stop before heading on to Belfast. We had two wee dogs with us, so checked their website for their dog policy which clearly stated that they were not allowed in the Walled Garden (which is fair enough) but that they could go “everywhere else”. We were Charged £10 each for entry but only when we couldn’t find the start of the Woodland Walk (off the walled garden apparently) were we informed that the dogs weren’t welcome there or in the tea room either. Weirdly, they were allowed to go to the museum! Like previous comments, the staff couldn’t have cared less suggesting we take them for a walk elsewhere, (as if we couldn’t have worked that out ourselves and totally missing the point that their website implied we could walk them in the Woodland). It was peeing down with rain too. Whilst the Walled Garden really was lovely, the enjoyment of the experience was somewhat lessened and we returned to the car soaked and dispirited. Oh, and the castle was closed….🙄
Written 4 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pip79
Belfast, UK20 contributions
Oct 2021 • Family
Glenarm Castle is a nice place, and they’ve carried out some good additions in recent years.
However, access with a car is confusing - it’s £6 to enter the Walled Garden (steep, for what it is), but no charge to park to access the Tea Room. The chap manning the hut on Sunday 3rd October made zero effort to assist, dismissively waiving an arm at the price list when queried.
When I made it to the Tea Room parking area (having paid no charge), it was open & busy but access was roped-off. Eventually, a member of staff arrived to let those waiting in, but with no signs or staff explaining access, it’s an awkward & easily avoidable situation.
A worthwhile place to visit, but better customer service would be welcome.
However, access with a car is confusing - it’s £6 to enter the Walled Garden (steep, for what it is), but no charge to park to access the Tea Room. The chap manning the hut on Sunday 3rd October made zero effort to assist, dismissively waiving an arm at the price list when queried.
When I made it to the Tea Room parking area (having paid no charge), it was open & busy but access was roped-off. Eventually, a member of staff arrived to let those waiting in, but with no signs or staff explaining access, it’s an awkward & easily avoidable situation.
A worthwhile place to visit, but better customer service would be welcome.
Written 3 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nick
Nottingham, UK535 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
One of our stops on the Coastal Causeway Route. Our visit was to the gardens only as the castle isn't open to the public usually.
Unfortunutely, this attraction was a tad underwhelming for us. This is probably because of the time of year, nothing in bloom etc.
The museum was interesting, but the garden wasn't too much to shout about, and the forest route was all of a 10 minute walk around.
The Past and Present section was not open, nor was the Shambles Workshop (though the workshop was closed due to personal reasons - fair enough.
I think this place would be better during the later spring, into summer months.
We probably spent about an hour here. I'd say the prices could do with being dropped during the low months as not much to see.
Staff are very friendly and helpful.
Unfortunutely, this attraction was a tad underwhelming for us. This is probably because of the time of year, nothing in bloom etc.
The museum was interesting, but the garden wasn't too much to shout about, and the forest route was all of a 10 minute walk around.
The Past and Present section was not open, nor was the Shambles Workshop (though the workshop was closed due to personal reasons - fair enough.
I think this place would be better during the later spring, into summer months.
We probably spent about an hour here. I'd say the prices could do with being dropped during the low months as not much to see.
Staff are very friendly and helpful.
Written 31 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deew
13 contributions
Jun 2022
The walled gardens would get 5 stars if I were to review alone. They are absolutely stunning.
No dogs allowed as usual so had to visit in 2 phases.
£10 each entry fee which seemed a bit steep considering the museum wasn't accessible.
We didn't eat in the restaurant but it looked wonderful.
We did have an ice cream though and it was delicious!
To visit the house you had to book in advance and they only do certain days.
Some new attractions have only opened in 2022 and I'm not sure they were opened on the day we visited. Otherwise still a lovely place to visit.
No dogs allowed as usual so had to visit in 2 phases.
£10 each entry fee which seemed a bit steep considering the museum wasn't accessible.
We didn't eat in the restaurant but it looked wonderful.
We did have an ice cream though and it was delicious!
To visit the house you had to book in advance and they only do certain days.
Some new attractions have only opened in 2022 and I'm not sure they were opened on the day we visited. Otherwise still a lovely place to visit.
Written 23 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tubie
Carrickfergus, United Kingdom
Do I have to pay entry to Glenarm Castle/Grounds just to go to the ice cream shop on site?
Written 29 October 2022
How long should I allow to visit the gardens
Written 2 June 2018
Is there somewhere to walk dogs at Glenarm Castle?
Written 27 July 2017
Dogs are not allowed in the gardens or surrounded area. The only walk we saw was along the coast just outside Glenarm.
Written 28 July 2017
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