Beeston Castle Circular Walk
Climb to the ruins of this 13th century castle and enjoy wonderful views over the Cheshire Plain on this short circular walk in the Peckforton Hills. The site is a significant historical structure and is one of the more popular walks in the area.
You can park at the car park on Chapel Road and then follow the nice walking trail up to the castle ruins. From here you can enjoy one of the most spectacular views of any castle in England. You can see across eight counties from the Pennines in the east to the Welsh mountains in the west. There's also an exhibition detailing 4000 years of the castle's history and 40 acres of woodland trails.
The Sandstone Trail runs past the castle so you can pick this up to extend your walk. If you head south you will soon come to Peckforton Castle and the Peckforton Hills where you can enjoy some nice woodland trails.
You can virtually explore some of the castle grounds on the google street view link below.
The circular Burwardsley Walk starts from the nearby village and climbs to the castle as well as exploring the Peckforton Hills, Bickerton Hill and the nearby Bulkeley Hill.
Postcode
CW6 9TX - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locationsPlease click here for more information
Beeston Castle Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Beeston Castle Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Beeston Castle OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Beeston Castle Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Explore the Area with Google Street View 
Pubs/Cafes
The Sandstone Cafe is conveniently located right next to the hill, near the car park. They do a good selection of snacks and have a number of nice picnic tables so you can sit outside.
You could also head to the Pheasant Inn for some refreshments after your walk. The pub has a lovely garden area with wonderful views over the Cheshire Plain. It's the perfect place to relax outside after your exercise. There's a great menu and it's also dog friendly. You can find the pub in Burwardsley with a postcode of CH3 9PF.
Dog Walking
The castle hill and the surrounding woodland are a great place for a dog walk and you will probably see plenty of other owners on a fine day.
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
If you head east from the castle you will soon come to Beeston Locks on the Shropshire Union Canal. It's a nice place for an additonal easy stroll if you have time. The circular Tarporley Walk visits the canal and the castle from the nearby village using part of the Sandstone Trail. Bunbury locks and the associated village of Bunbury are also just to the east. The impressive staircase locks and the delightful historic settlement are well worth a visit.
A few miles to the west you will find the pleasant village of Tattenhall. Here you can visit the noteworthy Ice Cream Farm, the largest ice cream shop in the world. The popular tourist attraction includes expansive children's play areas, farm animals and quad bikes. You can find them at Drumlan Hall, Newton Ln, CH3 9NE.
Just to the south east of Bickerton you'll find Cholmondeley where you can explore the 19th century Cholmondeley Castle. The castle is surrounded by 70 acres of beautiful parkland and gardens with an arboretum, herbaceous borders, lakes and a fine viewpoint to enjoy. Near here there's also the market town of Malpas with its timber framed properties and noteworthy 14th century church.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Cheshire Walks page.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Beeston castle Ramparts
The medieval ruins of Beeston Castle stand on a rocky summit 500ft above the Cheshire plain, offering views from the Pennines in the east to the mountains of Wales in the west. It dates from 1225 when it was built by Ranulf, the sixth Earl of Chester, and contains one of the deepest castle wells in the country. It was seized by King Henry III in 1237 and used by him and later his son, King Edward I, as a base for their campaigns against the Welsh. The castle was finally destroyed at the end of the Civil War.
The Inner Gatehouse and Inner Curtain Wall.
View of the castle from Stonehouse Lane. A private road to the Peckforton Estate is just to the left of the picture where the sign is.
A view of the steps and the footbridge up to the castle.
A large area of the slopes up to Beeston Castle have been cleared of bracken, trees and shrubs and have now been planted with meadow grass.
The Sandstone Trail and Beeston Castle. The trail crosses this bridge stile and then veers left to cross the next field. The halfway point on the trail is Beeston Castle, which is disguised by the prominent tree on the far side of the field.
