Confirmed · County Down · Historic house
Castle Ward (Winterfell)
Winterfell courtyard; Robb's camp and the Whispering Wood in Game of Thrones. Tickets needed; allow 2–3 hours.
- On screen as
- Winterfell courtyard; Robb's camp and the Whispering Wood
- Series and episodes
- Game of Thrones Season 1 · Game of Thrones Season 1, Episode 1 · Game of Thrones Season 1, Episode 9
- Access
- Tickets needed
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Where
- Strangford, County Down
On screen
How Castle Ward (Winterfell) appears
The very first episode, Winter is Coming, uses the farmyard at Castle Ward as the courtyard of Winterfell, the Stark seat in the North. The square of stone farm buildings around the old tower house is where the household gathers to receive King Robert, with towers and walls added by the production. Elsewhere on the estate, Audley's Field beside Strangford Lough played the Riverlands camp of Robb Stark's army and the Whispering Wood, in season one's Baelor. The story places Winterfell far to the north of Westeros and the Riverlands in its centre; in reality both sit within a short walk of each other on one National Trust estate.
The real place
What you can visit
Castle Ward is an 18th-century house and estate on the shore of Strangford Lough, cared for by the National Trust. The farmyard, with its 16th-century tower house, is the part fans recognise, and it is part of the general estate visit; the house itself has separate opening arrangements. Audley's Field and the shore paths are reached on signed estate trails. There is a tea room on site and a National Trust caravan park on the estate. Admission is charged to non-members; check current prices and opening hours on the National Trust page, as grounds, house and gardens keep different times.
Archery and costume experiences in the farmyard are run by an independent company, Winterfell Tours, not by the National Trust. Book those direct and separately from estate admission.
Discover Northern Ireland: Game of Thrones ↗Castle Ward is about a mile west of Strangford village off the A25, postcode BT30 7BA, with parking on the estate. Strangford is around 50 minutes' drive from Belfast, or reach it from Portaferry on the short car ferry across the lough. The National Trust provides blue-badge parking, wheelchairs and mobility scooters; ask about the best route to the farmyard.
Common questions
Planning a responsible visit
Is Castle Ward really Winterfell?
Its historic farmyard was the Winterfell courtyard in the first season. Winterfell is a composite: the production added towers and walls, and later seasons used built sets elsewhere, so the estate is not a complete castle replica.
Do you have to pay to visit Castle Ward?
Yes, unless you are a National Trust member. Admission covers the grounds and farmyard, while the house has its own opening arrangements. Check current prices and the day's opening on the National Trust page.
Where was the Whispering Wood filmed?
On the Castle Ward estate at Audley's Field, beside Strangford Lough, which also played Robb Stark's camp in season one's Baelor. Use the signed estate trails to reach it.
Can you do archery at Winterfell?
Yes. Winterfell Tours, an independent operator, runs archery and Game of Thrones experiences in the Castle Ward farmyard. Check dates and book direct.
Plan your visit
Build it into the day.
Inch Abbey near Downpatrick, 20 minutes away, then Tollymore Forest Park.
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Map
Days out including this place
Continue with a prepared day out
Nearby
Continue through County Down
Game of Thrones Studio Tour
The original Linen Mill Studios, now showing the sets, costumes and props
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Inch Abbey and the River Quoile
Robb's camp at Riverrun; the Tully funeral on the river
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Tollymore Forest Park
The Haunted Forest and the direwolf discovery
See the location →