By chance, we were lucky enough to visit on a day when a group of several volunteers, dressed in period clothing, were on hand to give tours and workshops that brought the castle to life. They made learning about the castle’s history fun for everyone and not just those interested in history. We learned how to make remedies for the plague (unfortunately we visited after COVID) and how ale and mead were once made in the castle amongst many other things. If you are planning a visit to Bolton castle, I would suggest visiting on a day when these volunteers are around (which from memory is once per month) since they really bring the whole experience together!
That said, the castle and grounds are really impressive on their own and on a clear day the views of the surrounding Yorkshire Dales are uniquely picturesque. Another highlight is the falconry show-don’t leave without checking this out. We took some awesome pictures of owls flying a foot or two above our heads and it’s a charm to watch the falconer show his passion for his work. The baby wild boar are cute too!
