Address: Dean Rd, Kilmarnock, KA3 1XB, United Kingdom
Phone: +441563554734
Rating: 4.4
based on 234 reviews.
Park Facilities
Pros:
"Staff also serve freshly made soup, tea and coffee. The cafe and facilities are clean."
"Great place to walk the dogs, please remember to pick up after them."
"Fantastic place for day out with kids. 3 routes to choose from historical, forestry and animal ones."
"The paths round the park are well looked after. They are a bit muddy in places but that more to do with the weather."
"The park itself is great and has lots of paths."
"Public park, free to enter and enjoy. Historic castle, variety of woodland trails and animals to visit."
"The park has some excellent new landscape features and pathwork infrastructure."
Cons:
"I was absolutely disgusted with the Cafe food especially portion size and price!!"
"Play Park could be better, lack of options for younger kids."
"New play park is not suitable for children, steep banking with no nets, nothing for babies and hardly anything for toddlers."
"As of August 2017 it's still going under major work with a lot of the paths closed and the animal park closed also."
"there's nothing there for toddlers all so no swings."
"Some maintenance to the castle and grounds is taking place. The castle and some paths are not currently accessible."
"If am honest the place felt as if it needed lots of maintenance and care. Everything looked tired."
Animal Encounters
Pros:
"They have horses, donkeys and goats."
"Younger family members enjoyed seeing the pig, goats and donkeys."
"We arrived at 10:30am when all the animals were getting fed so we got to see the deer up close."
"Deer enclosure was a fab experience too!"
"The extended pond has ducks, geese, coots and swans and there's even bat roosts 🦇 as well as the other wildlife you'd expect to see round the Nature Trail."
"It's the closest I've been to the beautiful deer and horses. Also pigs, sheep and bird spotting."
"Loved the park. Such a nice walk and seeing all the baby animals was fab."
"It's no longer a great place to take kids. A lot of the attractions have gone and the petting zoo is completely gone."
"animal enclosure was poor."
"The animals are gone apart from two pigs."
"Where were the animals? Saw pigs....."
"The animal bit looked a bit neglected but I suspect that is just post C19."
"Sad that there aren't many animals to see now either."
Events and Activities
Pros:
"We had a great night at the Starry nights illuminations."
"staff were soo friendly high on christmas spirits."
"A great day out with the kids and grand kids, plenty to see and do."
"The castle re-opened on 01 April so still quite new. Guides are shop helpers very helpful."
"Fantastic day at dean castle the magical santa train was amazin and the show was hilarious."
"Went to illuminate with service users from work and gotta sat what a superb set up it was."
"What a great resource for the local area, visited the Christmas lights event - been to many others and this was great!"
Cons:
"Council cancelled annual firework display to charge ppl money to see an illuminated building site."
"The Halloween fireworks and laser show however, was one of the poorest ‘spectacles’ I’ve seen in my life."
"Unfortunately the castle is closed for repairs until summer 2021."
"We went to see santa with our grandson to find there was hours of delay."
"Was not very exciting castle was closed."
"The main light show against the castle not on, some lights not working properly and the parking was a nightmare."
"Very, very disappointed for a school holiday. Playpark barely open, kiosk closed, toilets closed, castle closed, animals not out (apparently the park rangers don't work Bank Holidays- the one day you think they would work)."
Facility Maintenance
Pros:
"A lot of work going on here just now, but it's slowly coming together."
"Well done to the council for this fabulous park which they obviously work hard to upkeep."
"looks like improvements are being made."
"Looks like the park has had lots of money spent on improving the facilities and path."
"Great park, gets better and better. Lots to do with the kids, the play park is great."
"Stunning area. Whole family loved it."
"Great place to walk. Pathways and grounds are well maintained."
Cons:
"Have to say it was looking a bit run down on our latest visit."
"You had to park in nearby neighbourhood which the residents must have hated."
"Not sure why they spent years and millions of pounds on refurbishment of the castle, only for most of it to be out of bounds to the public."
"The castle is closed for refurbishment but it is due to reopen on the 1 of April 2023."
"Place is under renovations. So could not explore much."
"Nothing at it. Just a big building site now."
"Very sad to c it getting left like this as it is a fantastic place for kids."