# Kielder Castle carpark



## Scotia (Aug 29, 2020)

A wee jaunt doon the road to Kielder forest and over the forest drive to the Castle carpark £10 for an over night stay. 12 vans and a pickup with a tent on its roof. Lots of forest trail walks. Took the easy route as Christina has just broken one of her toes, Darcy being the ferocious dog she is bolted from the wood sculptures dotted along the trails. Found what looks like a witches swing in one of the trees.


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## Nabsim (Aug 29, 2020)

Didn’t realise you could stop in the castle car park, we used to stop at the pub just before it that I hear has closed.
Hope the midges weren’t out, last time we went there from Galloway forest and midges were at least as bad


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## mistericeman (Aug 29, 2020)

Nabsim said:


> Didn’t realise you could stop in the castle car park, we used to stop at the pub just before it that I hear has closed.
> Hope the midges weren’t out, last time we went there from Galloway forest and midges were at least as bad







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						Know before you go | Kielder Water and Forest Park
					

Hints and tips for making the most of your visit to Kielder Water & Forest Park.




					www.visitkielder.com


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## Nabsim (Aug 29, 2020)

Ah so, that says it’s a trial so maybe you couldn’t overnight when I was there, think it was early June last year. Most of the place was empty as if it was out of season. Only time I have ever been to Kielder and that’s because Charlie wanted to go on the way back from Scotland.


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## mistericeman (Aug 29, 2020)

Nabsim said:


> Ah so, that says it’s a trial so maybe you couldn’t overnight when I was there, think it was early June last year. Most of the place was empty as if it was out of season. Only time I have ever been to Kielder and that’s because Charlie wanted to go on the way back from Scotland.



Think it started in 2018.... Least that's when I first noticed it and posted about it on here 
(some folks thought it was expensive at £10 ;-)) 





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						Kielder Castle car park now allowing overnight stops @£10 per night
					

Kielder Castle are running a test to see how overnight stops work...  Nice spot and well worth a tenner a night IMHO




					wildcamping.co.uk


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## in h (Aug 29, 2020)

It _is_ expensive at £10, but that doesn't make it a bad idea. It's a welcome development.


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## mistericeman (Aug 29, 2020)

in h said:


> It _is_ expensive at £10, but that doesn't make it a bad idea. It's a welcome development.



Frankly 'some' on here see paying anything as 'expensive' ;-)


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## Nabsim (Aug 29, 2020)

mistericeman said:


> Think it started in 2018.... Least that's when I first noticed it and posted about it on here
> (some folks thought it was expensive at £10 ;-))
> 
> 
> ...


Well it’s all relative. If we stop in a pub that doesn’t charge we will have a meal and coffee’s which is more than a tenner. Usually the food is not as good as I would make but it makes a change. A tenner is okay now and then but expensive all the time same as pub stops.
There is room for this as for an overnight at an attraction it’s welcome. If you compare to a cl though it’s expensive unless there are facilities but are there any cl’s in the area and can you just turn up?


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## in h (Aug 29, 2020)

If a parking place is otherwise unoccupied, using it costs nothing and the owners gain some benefit from people parking there (security, or tourist spend) it makes good sense to make it free. 
Charging a fee brings in a lot of additional costs in itself.


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## Nabsim (Aug 29, 2020)

Kielder Forest is probably an easy place to police charging though as I expect they have lots of wardens. It doesn’t bother me if a gate is closed and lock you in if there is an emergency procedure in place. Problem in Kielder is getting a phone signal from what I remember, one of the worst places we have been got 3 and O2


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## jeanette (Aug 29, 2020)

We went just for the day a few years ago and as you say nabsim the midges were out in force and we couldn’t wait to get back in the car and move on


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## Scotia (Aug 29, 2020)

Nabsim said:


> Didn’t realise you could stop in the castle car park, we used to stop at the pub just before it that I hear has closed.
> Hope the midges weren’t out, last time we went there from Galloway forest and midges were at least as bad


Few at night , noting to niggle at, a wee breeze in the morning which kept them at bay. Lovely in the Yarrow  valley now.


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## Scotia (Aug 29, 2020)

Nabsim said:


> Kielder Forest is probably an easy place to police charging though as I expect they have lots of wardens. It doesn’t bother me if a gate is closed and lock you in if there is an emergency procedure in place. Problem in Kielder is getting a phone signal from what I remember, one of the worst places we have been got 3 and O2


Correct no signal untill we were back on the road, just hoping our kids are managing to feed themselves and not fed up with weatabix and water.


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## Scotia (Aug 29, 2020)

Nabsim said:


> Well it’s all relative. If we stop in a pub that doesn’t charge we will have a meal and coffee’s which is more than a tenner. Usually the food is not as good as I would make but it makes a change. A tenner is okay now and then but expensive all the time same as pub stops.
> There is room for this as for an overnight at an attraction it’s welcome. If you compare to a cl though it’s expensive unless there are facilities but are there any cl’s in the area and can you just turn up?


Forgot to mention that there were toilets for the use of 24hr.


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## Biggarmac (Aug 29, 2020)

How far is it from the dark sky observatory or  do you know if can you park at the observatory?


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## Scotia (Aug 29, 2020)

I remember seeing  an Observatory signage on our travels out, but think that was after Newcastleton so within the 1/2 hour if thats the same one.


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## davep10000 (Aug 29, 2020)

We used a fantastic spot on the liddel water just before saughtree, next to the burn.
Much quieter than kielder.
Dave


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## Scotia (Aug 30, 2020)

Biggarmac said:


> How far is it from the dark sky observatory or  do you know if can you park at the observatory?


Just did a route plan check, its 105 miles and stating 2hr 39 minutes travel time.


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## Nabsim (Aug 30, 2020)

Biggarmac said:


> How far is it from the dark sky observatory or  do you know if can you park at the observatory?


Do you mean the one in the forest? If so it wasn’t that far away from the castle but couldn’t give a distance. There is some parking for visitors near the observatory but you can’t get right up. I didn’t park and walk so don’t know how par it is from the park up.


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## Scotia (Aug 30, 2020)

Nabsim said:


> Do you mean the one in the forest? If so it wasn’t that far away from the castle but couldn’t give a distance. There is some parking for visitors near the observatory but you can’t get right up. I didn’t park and walk so don’t know how par it is from the park up.


100 yrds from the castle which is also 100 yds from the pub.


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