Sandal Castle

Sandal Castle is an open historic site on the edge of Wakefield, run by the city's council museums and castles service. The remains of the medieval castle sit on a mound with a grassy bailey, a dry moat and a keep that visitors can climb for views across the Calder Valley. Families tend to come for a walk, a picnic on the bailey and some history, with information panels placed around the site at wheelchair height explaining its links to the Wars of the Roses and the Battle of Wakefield. Children can fly a kite on the open ground, look for birds such as gulls and sparrowhawks, and spot marks on the stonework that may date from the English Civil War. There is no staffed visitor centre, so it suits people who want to explore at their own pace outdoors. A small café operates on the site, although it is independently run and not open every day.