Castle Drogo Review, National Trust
During our week in Cornwall we visited Castle Drogo, a National Trust property located in Devon.
Castle Drogo is a 20th century castle, the last castle to be built in England, that overlooks the Teign Gorge, and is surrounded by well kept gardens.
Here’s my Castle Drogo review from our visit, which I hope helps you decide if it’s somewhere that you’d like to visit as well.
In this Castle Drogo review I’ll cover:
Location
Castle Drogo is located at:
Drewsteignton,
Devon,
EX6 6PB
Things to do
Things to do at Drogo Castle include:
Castle
We walked through the castle during our visit, and there were many rooms to see. One of my favourites was the drawing room, which contained a writing desk that once belonged to King Louis Phillipe I of France.
Another one of my favourite rooms was the dining room, which had a large dining table set up exactly as it would have been for a dinner party.
I also loved the dollhouse in the nursery, which was designed by an architect, and included electric lights, water that could be turned on, and a working lift.
Gardens
There were many different gardens at Castle Drogo including formal, rhododendron, and rose gardens.
There was also a Bunty House, which was a tiny playhouse modelled on a 1930s suburban home. This was Thomas’ favourite part of our visit here.
My favourite garden was the formal garden, it was well landscaped, and was full of different flowers and plants.
The boy’s favourite garden was the circular lawn, a large patch of grass that they could run around on, without damaging any flowers or plants.
Chapel
There’s a chapel at Castle Drogo, that was the last part of the castle to be built, and is perfect for some reflection and quiet time.
Shops
There’s a shop in the visitor centre that sells gifts, treats, local products, homewares, clothing, and gifts.
Other shops include a plant shop and a second hand bookshop.
Walking trails
There are many walking trails surrounding Castle Drogo where you can see stunning views of Teign Gorge, rivers, bridges, and wildlife.
Food options
Food options at Castle Drogo are:
Café
There’s a café inside the visitor centre that sells hot and cold drinks, hot and cold food, baked goods, kid’s lunch boxes, and light refreshments.
Picnic areas
There are many areas in the castle grounds including in front of the castle, and the circular lawn.
Family friendly facilities
Family friendly facilities at Castle Drogo include:
- Flat terrains around the gardens, which are suitable for buggies
- Baby change facilities and kid’s food boxes in the visitor centre
- Highchairs in the café
- Hip carrying infant seats available for loan in the castle
Opening times
Castle Drogo was open 10.30am – 4.30pm on the day we visited, and the garden, Visitor Centre, café, and shop were open 10am – 5pm.
Ticket prices
Ticket prices for Castle Drogo are free for National Trust members.
For non National Trust members, ticket prices for the castle and gardens are:
- £14 adults
- £7 children (5-17 years)
- £21 (1 adult, 2 children)
- £35 family
- Free under 5s
Parking
There’s a pay and display car park at Castle Drogo that’s free for National Trust members, and for non members costs £2, or £6 all day.
My thoughts on Castle Drogo
We spent about 2.5 hours at Castle Drogo, and I really enjoyed our time here.
It took about 45 minutes to walk through the castle, and the rest of the time we explored the gardens, which were really beautiful.
I’d love to come back here and do the things we didn’t get a chance to, such as reading the information inside the castle, and doing some of the walking trails.
I hope you’ve found this Castle Drogo review helpful, and that it’s helped you to decide if it’s somewhere you’d like to visit.
What castles have you visited and loved?
