Things to Do in Berkhamsted: Castle, Canal, Walks and Pubs
Berkhamsted is a market town in the Chilterns, about 30 to 35 minutes by train from London Euston. It has the earthworks of a Norman castle next to the station, the Grand Union Canal and its locks running through the middle of town, and the National Trust's Ashridge Estate on the hill to the north. Most of it is free.
We hire out self-drive narrowboats from Cowroast Marina, just under three miles up the canal from the town, so this guide gives the canal proper attention.
Things to Do in Berkhamsted at a Glance
The main things to do in Berkhamsted are the free Norman castle, the Grand Union Canal and its locks, the Ashridge Estate, the Rex cinema, the markets and three canalside pubs.
Berkhamsted Castle: free, open every day, next to the station
Walk the canal through town, past three locks and the totem pole
A pint by the water at The Boat, the Rising Sun or the Crystal Palace
Ashridge Estate and Berkhamsted Common for woods and walks
A film at the Rex, the town's 1938 art deco cinema
The markets on the High Street
Drive a narrowboat yourself from Cowroast Marina, just up the canal
Berkhamsted Castle
Berkhamsted Castle is the ruin of a Norman motte-and-bailey castle, looked after by English Heritage, on White Hill, HP4 1LJ. Entry is free. It is open every day except 25 December and 1 January: 10am to 6pm while the clocks are forward, and 10am to 4pm in winter.
It is next to the rear entrance of Berkhamsted station. There is no car park and no toilets on site (the station has toilets), and parking on White Hill is very limited, so come by train or use a town car park. Dogs on leads are welcome.
The Canal Through Berkhamsted
The Grand Union Canal runs right through the town. Three of its locks are in the centre: Berkhamsted Top Lock (No. 53), Ravens Lock (No. 54) and the Rising Sun Lock (No. 55).
Stand at any of them for a while and you may see a boat working through. If you have never watched a lock fill, our guide to how canal locks work explains what is happening.
Look out for the totem pole beside the canal. It was carved from red cedar by the Kwakwaka'wakw artist Henry Hunt, and put up in the late 1960s at the timber yard of J. Alsford Ltd, after a First Nations village on Vancouver Island had helped one of the Alsford family. The yard is now flats and the pole stands on private land, so you see it from the towpath.
Castle Wharf, between Ravens Lane and Castle Street, was the centre of the town's canal trade in coal, grain and timber until the early 1960s. The towpath is open every day, and the Canal & River Trust points visitors to the pay-and-display car park at Canal Fields, HP4 2AL, which has a playground.
Take a Narrowboat Out from Cowroast Marina
Cowroast Marina is at Cow Roast, between Northchurch and Tring, just under three miles up the canal from Berkhamsted. You can hire a narrowboat there for the day and drive it yourself.
You do not need a licence or experience: we give you a full handover first. Each boat takes up to 10 people, day hire is 7.5 hours, and dogs are welcome on board.
There are two ways to go. North is lock-free for about three miles along the Tring summit to the Grand Junction Arms at Bulbourne, roughly an hour and a half at walking pace.
South is the way to Berkhamsted: eight locks down to Berkhamsted Top Lock, through Dudswell and Northchurch, at about 15 to 20 minutes a lock, then the same eight back up. In a normal summer it is a full, busy day for a group that wants to work locks.
Our canal routes guide has both routes in detail.
Ashridge Estate and Berkhamsted Common
The National Trust's Ashridge Estate covers about 2,000 hectares of woodland, commons and chalk downs to the north of the town, including Berkhamsted Common. It is open all year. The Bridgewater Monument, built in 1832, honours the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, a pioneer of Britain's canals, and the Ridgeway starts at Ivinghoe Beacon on the estate's northern downs.
The visitor centre, café and monument keep their own opening times and parking arrangements, so check the National Trust's Ashridge page before you go.
The High Street, the Rex and the Markets
Berkhamsted High Street has the Rex cinema, a street market twice a week and three monthly markets.
The Rex is an art deco cinema from 1938 that still shows films. Its programme is at therexberkhamsted.com, and popular screenings sell out.
The street market is on the High Street on Wednesdays and Saturdays, according to Dacorum Borough Council (check before you travel).
Berkhamsted Farmers' Market is on the third Sunday of each month, 10am to 2pm.
The Antiques and Vintage Market is on the first Sunday of the month, March to December, 9.30am to 3.30pm.
The Pop Up Bazaar is at the Town Hall on the first Saturday of each month.
St Peter's Church, on the High Street, was consecrated in 1222.
Pubs on the Canal in Berkhamsted
Three pubs in Berkhamsted sit by the Grand Union Canal: The Boat, the Rising Sun and the Crystal Palace.
The Boat, Gravel Path, HP4 2EF. A canalside pub with a terrace on the water, serving food.
The Rising Sun, known locally as the Riser, beside the Rising Sun Lock off George Street, HP4 2EG. A small freehouse in the Good Beer Guide, with four guest ales and 15 real ciders and perries. Food is a ploughman's, and you reach it along the towpath or down a gravel drive.
The Crystal Palace, Station Road, HP4 2EZ, a pub with food by the canal near the station.
On a boat from Cowroast Marina, the nearest canalside pub to the north is the Grand Junction Arms at Bulbourne. Our things to do in Tring guide covers it.
Canal Walks from Berkhamsted
The towpath through Berkhamsted is open every day, and you can walk from the station to Cow Roast and back, or on to Tring and take the train home.
The Berkhamsted Waterways Walk starts at the station and follows the River Bulbourne and the canal, past The Boat and the Riser. The Chilterns National Landscape publishes the route.
Berkhamsted to Cow Roast along the towpath is just under three miles, uphill through the locks at Northchurch and Dudswell. Have a look at the boats in Cowroast Marina, then walk back.
Berkhamsted to Tring along the canal is about four miles from station to station, so you can take the train back.
Locks and stretches of towpath sometimes close for repairs, mostly in winter. Check the Canal & River Trust's notices before you walk.
Getting to Berkhamsted
Trains run from London Euston to Berkhamsted in about 30 to 35 minutes; the fastest take 28. The castle is beside the station and the canal is a couple of minutes' walk away, so you do not need a car. By road, Berkhamsted is just off the A41, about 32 miles from London.
Things to Do Near Berkhamsted
Tring, College Lake, Whipsnade Zoo and the Warner Bros. Studio Tour are all within 11 miles of Berkhamsted.
Tring, about 5 miles west: the free Natural History Museum at Tring, Tring Park and the reservoirs. See our Tring guide.
College Lake, a wildlife reserve in an old chalk quarry near Bulbourne, about 6 miles away.
Whipsnade Zoo, about 9 miles away.
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, about 11 miles away.
Cowroast Marina, just under three miles up the canal, for a day driving a narrowboat.
Questions About Visiting Berkhamsted
Is Berkhamsted Worth Visiting?
Yes. In one day you can see a Norman castle, walk the canal past working locks, and have lunch in a canalside pub, and all of it is a few minutes from the station.
What Are Some Fun Activities to Do in Berkhamsted?
Watch boats work the locks in the town centre, find the totem pole by the canal, catch a film at the Rex, walk up onto Berkhamsted Common, or drive a narrowboat yourself from Cowroast Marina just up the canal.
Is Berkhamsted Castle Free?
Yes. It is free, open every day except 25 December and 1 January, and closes at 4pm in winter.
Can You Walk from Berkhamsted to Tring Along the Canal?
Yes. It is about four miles from Berkhamsted station to Tring station along the towpath, and the train takes you back.
Which Pubs in Berkhamsted Are on the Canal?
The Boat, the Rising Sun and the Crystal Palace.
Can You Hire a Boat Near Berkhamsted?
Yes. We hire self-drive narrowboats for the day from Cowroast Marina, just under three miles up the canal. No licence or experience is needed, and each boat takes up to 10 people.
Photo credits: photos without a credit are our own. The others come from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licence shown.
Rising Sun Lock, Berkhamsted (cover, cropped to fit) by Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Berkhamsted Castle by No Swan So Fine, CC BY-SA 4.0
Totem Pole, Berkhamsted by Paul Downey, CC BY 2.0
Bridgewater Monument, Ashridge Estate by Peter S, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Rex, Berkhamsted by Lucy Downey, CC BY 2.0
The Boat pub by Mark Percy, CC BY-SA 2.0
Grand Union Canal, Berkhamsted by Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Comments