Visit Snodhill CastleÂ
The castle and its ten acre site welcomes visitors all year round! Whether you’re into Norman castles, fabulous landscape, fine ancient trees or just fresh air.
Whether you’ve half a day or half an hour, pack some stout shoes and come and see us.
Notes for visitors
The site is rough and uneven, with steep slopes and drops and is muddy when wet.
There are no facilities, though there are pubs and conveniences nearby in Dorstone and Peterchurch. Certain fenced off areas mark those in course of excavation and restoration. Polite dogs are welcome and there are loads of picnic spots.
Here are a few rules for a safe visit:
- The paths are uneven and slippery, and they and the site have upstanding tree roots, stumps and occasionally burrows; take care. Please keep a close eye on children with you. The steps to the High Keep and the ruins are without handrails.
- Don’t climb on any walls; there could be a sheer drop on the other side.
There are nettles, brambles and hemlock plants on site, all enjoyed by wildlife but not by bare skin! - Do not climb on, swing from, move or remove anything belonging on site, which is an ancient monument protected by law.
Camping and the lighting of fires is prohibited.
A list of emergency contacts is displayed by the gate.
FIND US
Snodhill Castle is just over a mile outside Dorstone, off the B4348 Golden Valley road, about 14 miles from Hereford, 23 from Ross and 7 or so from Hay On Wye.
You can locate us using what3words: UNWOUND.MASSES.SPOONS
Our OS grid ref is: SO 32100 40352
And our postcode (covering the hamlet’s four houses) is HR3 6BG.
Free parking is to the left of the gate.
Walks
Snodhill Castle commands the golden valley and its medieval landscape setting (recently surveyed by Historic England) is well worth exploring using an abundance of public footpaths and bridleways. We’ve great local walks, and we’re a walker’s pole away from the Herefordshire Trail, the Three Rivers Ride, and more. We’re even on a couple of Ley Lines. So why not add us to your itinerary – follow these links:
visitherefordshire.co.uk/see-do/scenic-trails/ley-lines-landscape/watkins-way
visitherefordshire.co.uk/see-do/scenic-trails/ley-lines-landscape/twin-valley-ley-line-trail
britishpilgrimage.org/portfolio/herefordshire-twin-valley-pilgrim-trail/
THE CASTLE ON BBC MIDLANDS TODAY
Tours
Why not reserve a place on a tour of the castle? You’ll explore the site, examine the restoration work up close, learn what we know and share some of the enduring puzzles that make Snodhill unique. Tours are conducted by Garry Crook, castles expert and Chair of the trust, and are strictly limited in number.
If you, or a group, would like to be included please…
Webinars
During 2020/21 our webinars ‘How to rescue a castle’ and ‘A castle of puzzles’ attracted hundreds of armchair castle enthusiasts.
You can catch up on these, and register for our forthcoming event ‘A Hill Called Snod’. For access, please…