Kelso · Castle

Floors Castle

Floors Castle near Kelso suits families who want a castle-and-gardens day with play, food and room to roam. In the main season, you can combine the castle rooms, four-acre Walled Garden, children's play area and estate walks. Autumn and winter bring a shorter garden-and-café visit while the castle is closed.

Best for: Preschool and primary children
Cost: Paid; under-16s free with an adult
Weather: Much of the day is outdoors
Time to allow: 3–5 hours in the main season

Our family take

The family appeal is the mix: children have a proper play area, while adults can spend time in the house and Walled Garden, then everyone can stop for food. Give the full main-season visit half a day. If your children mainly want to play, consider the Gardens & Grounds ticket rather than paying for the castle too.

Season matters. The castle and Courtyard Café are closed from 1 October to Easter 2027. The Walled Garden and Terrace Café have winter hours; check holiday closures before travelling.
Access. The castle lift is being replaced, so wheelchair and mobility-scooter users cannot enter the castle until further notice. The gardens and longer walks have their own access limits.
Not ideal for. A quick indoor visit, a fully step-free day, or a plan where every route needs to suit a pushchair.

Plan your visit View on map

The practical details

Plan your visit

Opening times: From 1 October to Easter 2027, the castle and Courtyard Café are closed; the Walled Garden and Terrace Café open 10.30am–4pm. Christmas and early January closures apply. Check the seasonal timetable for your date.
Tickets: Autumn/winter Gardens Pass: £3 per adult for seven days. The 2026 main-season rates were £22 for Castle, Gardens & Grounds or £10 for Gardens & Grounds. Children under 16 go free with an adult; check special-event terms separately.
Booking: Buy visit tickets online through Floors Castle. Choose the ticket for the areas you want to visit and check what is open on your date.
Address: Autumn/winter entrance: Gardens and Terrace Café, off the B6397, Kelso TD5 7RN. The Golden Gates on Roxburgh Street are closed from 30 September 2026 until spring 2027.
Parking: Parking is free. Until spring 2027, all estate access is through the Gardens and Terrace Café entrance off the B6397; use TD5 7RN. In the main season there are castle woodland and garden car parks, with disabled bays near the Courtyard entrance.
Time to allow: 3–5 hours for the full main-season visit; allow less for gardens and café alone.
Access: The castle currently has steps-only entry while its lift is replaced. Wheelchair and mobility-scooter entry is unavailable until further notice; check the access statement before planning a visit.

ParkingCafé or restaurantGift shopToiletsBaby changingPlay area

Checked 7 October 2026

Check tickets and seasonal opening (official)

A little more detail

Make it work for your family

Play, gardens and the castle

Where children can play

The children's playground is in the Walled Garden, with a flying fox, swings and monkey bars. Benches around the lawn let you stay close while children play; the Terrace Café is nearby.

In the main season, a sensible half-day might be the castle, a look around the Walled Garden, play and lunch. Add an estate walk only if everyone still has energy: the Woodland Walk takes about an hour and the Riverside Walk about an hour and a half.

Official visitor information

Which ages get the most from it

Toddlers and preschoolers are most likely to get their fun from the play area, lawns, garden corners and café rather than the full house visit.

Primary-age children and older siblings may get more from the castle rooms and longer walks. Floors advertises child-friendly guided tours, but check arrangements for your date if a tour is important to your family; the castle is closed over winter.

Weather, buggies and getting around

Much of this day is outside, so choose weather in which your family will enjoy the playground and gardens. In the main season, the castle and cafés offer indoor breaks. Winter garden visits have less to fall back on if it rains.

The walk from the castle exit to the Walled Garden is about 780m, over cobbles, gravel and an unpaved woodland track. You can drive from the castle car park to the garden car park instead, which is useful with tired little legs or a buggy.

The garden is flat, with a ramp at the entrance and gravel paths. The longer Woodland Walk is 2.6km with two stiles; the Riverside Walk is 4km with four. Livestock roam on these routes. If a pushchair or step-free route is central to your visit, contact Floors and ask which areas will work; larger wheelchairs and scooters can also be difficult to manoeuvre inside the Terrace Café.

Official visitor information

Food, toilets and before you go

The Terrace Café is beside the Walled Garden, so lunch fits naturally around play. The Courtyard Café is by the castle and closes over winter. Picnics are welcome in the wider estate grounds when those areas are open.

For an autumn or winter visit, plan around the Walled Garden and Terrace Café. Contact Floors before adding an estate walk, as winter access to the wider grounds is unclear.

Because Floors is also a private family home, occasional closures or entrance changes can affect the day's plan. Check the seasonal timetable for your date.

Check the current entrance and arrival route

Official visitor information

Toilets and baby changing: Public toilets with accessible facilities and baby changing are at the castle rear exit, Courtyard Café and Terrace Café. For a winter garden visit, use the Terrace Café facilities.
Food: The Terrace Café has a children's menu. Booking a table is advised at busy times, though it is not essential; call 01573 225714. Outdoor café seating is only offered in summer.

The rest of your Borders day

Floors can fill most of a main-season family day, so avoid committing to a second big visit. Kelso's town square and abbey are nearby options if you still want a short stop.

Jedburgh Abbey is a more focused heritage stop on a wider Borders circuit. Bowhill near Selkirk is an alternative estate day with play and walks, rather than an easy add-on to Floors.

Compare Jedburgh Abbey