CADW is the part of the Welsh Government which manages many of the historic landmarks including some of Wales top castles, abbeys, and ancient burial sites. They are responsible for maintaining the site as well as allowing access for visitors.
Many of the more famous sites such as Caernarfon Castle require an admission ticket. However, CADW also have memberships available and they have now launched an Explorer Pass too, both of which provided better value when visiting more than one attraction. So, which is better?
If you live in Wales or visit regularly and are likely to visit eight or more castles in a year, then a CADW membership is likely going to be good value for money. However, if you only visit Wales once per year, then consider a CADW Explorer Pass instead.
This is a bit of a generalization, keep reading to find out more about each pass so you can decide for yourself.
What is a CADW Membership?
A CADW Membership allows you unlimited entry to properties managed by CADW, the Welsh equivalent of English Heritage. You can pay for a year upfront or set up a direct debit with quarterly payments.
You can purchase a CADW membership online or in person at any paid CADW attraction.
As well as free entry, you’ll also get 10% off in the CADW giftshops and free or discounted entry to similar attractions in the rest of Great Britain.
Visiting Kidwelly Castle - A CADW site
How Much is a CADW Membership?
There are lots of different types of membership available as I’ll break down here. Costs are per year and correct as of 2023.
Individual CADW Memberships
| Adult | £56.60 |
| Senior Citizen (65+) | £45 |
| Child (5-17) | £23.60 |
| Young Person (18-20) or Student | £30.70 |
Joint CADW Memberships (for two people)
| Two Adults | £83.10 |
| One Audlt + One Senior Citizen | £74.70 |
| Two Senior Citizens | £81 |
Family CADW Memberships
| Two adults + children | £86.70 |
| One adult + children | £61 |
This is not an exhaustive list. You can find the full list and buy your membership online from CADW.
The prices listed above are annual and can be paid via a one-off debit card payment or by setting up a Direct Debit which auto renews each year.
Although CADW often lists the ‘per-month’ cost of a membership, it’s not possible to pay monthly although it is possible to pay quarterly (every 3 months) via direct debit.
Is a CADW Membership Worth it?
CADW’s marketing is sneaky and they claim that a membership gives you access to over 100 historic sites. You’ll find this on their website and their marketing materials often feature a map with many of these locations.
What they don’t tell you is that many of these attractions are ALREADY FREE.
CADW states on its website that it has 131 properties, however, from my research, only 25 of these are paid attractions with prices ranging from £2.80 up to £12.50, with the average being around £7.
This makes a membership sound less appealing, but it still might be worthwhile depending on how many visits you plan to make to CADW’s paid properties each year.
Generally speaking, a CADW membership is worthwhile financially if you plan to visit about eight or more CADW properties in a year, based on the average admission fee of £7. This is best suited to people who live in Wales or who visit the country multiple times per year.
If you are only taking a holiday to Wales and tend to visit once per year or less, then you could be better off getting a CADW Explorer Pass. Details on this below.
The calculation of ‘eight or more CADW properties in a year’ is purely based on the average cost of £7. However, chances are that you will be more interested in visiting the iconic castles such as Conwy, Caernarfon, and Caerphilly, which are a higher price.
I will list all of the paid CADW attractions and their entry fees at the end of this article so that you can make an exact calculation based on your own needs.
Of course, so far I have only considered the financial aspect. A CADW membership also helps the government care and maintain for the other 100+ historic sites that are free to visit. If you would like to support this work, then a membership is a great way to do so whilst still getting something back in return.
What is an Explorer Pass?
A CADW Explorer Pass is a 3-day or 7-day pass that allows you to enter unlimited paid CADW attractions during those days.
The days do not have to be consecutive. For the 3-day pass, it can be any 3 days within a 7-day period. For the 7-day pass, it can be any 7 days within a 14-day period.
The prices for an explorer pass are:
| 3-Day Pass | 7-Day Pass | |
| Adult | £23.20 | £34.80 |
| Two Adults | £34.80 | £52.20 |
| Family (2 adults and up to 3 children) | £55.95 | £65.30 |
If you are only on holiday in Wales, an Explorer Pass is likely to be a better option financially than a full membership.
All of CADWs paid attractions will accept this pass so it is great value for money, especially if you plan to visit some of the more expensive attractions.
You can only buy Explorer Passes in person, it is not possible to buy them online just yet. However, keep in mind that you cannot purchase the pass at Carreg Cennen Castle or Weobley Castle (although they will still accept them if you already have one). I am not fully sure why this is the case.
Visiting Castell Coch - A CADW Site
Top Tip: How To Get a CADW Membership Discount
Did you know you can purchase your CADW membership using Clubcard vouchers. You can exchange every £0.50 of Clubcard vouchers into £1.50 towards your CADW membership.
So essentially, you’ll be getting an adult CADW membership for less than £20 of Clubcard vouchers.
Using CADW in the Rest of Great Britain
CADW is the Welsh equivalent of English Heritage, Historic Scotland, and Manx National Heritage (Isle of Man). All of these services have their own membership, so how do they work together?
During your first year of a CADW membership, you can use it to get 50% off the entry fee at English Heritage and Historic Scotland attractions. This includes iconic sites such as Stonehenge and Edinburgh Castle.
After your first renewal, this changes to free entry to English Heritage and Historic Scotland sites.
If you are visiting the Isle of Man, your CADW membership will get you free entry to Manx National Heritage Sites from day one.
List of Paid CADW Sites and Current Prices
As promised, here is a list of all of the CADW sites with and the entry fees for a single adult (correct as of 2023):
| Beaumaris Castle | £8.70 |
| Blaenavon Ironworks | £6.90 |
| Caerleon Roman Baths | £5.00 |
| Caernarfon Castle | £12.50 |
| Caerphilly Castle | £10.60 |
| Castell Coch | £8.70 |
| Chepstow Castle | £8.70 |
| Cilgerran Castle | £5.00 |
| Conwy Castle | £11.70 |
| Criccieth Castle | £5.80 |
| Denbigh Castle | £5.00 |
| Harlech Castle | £8.70 |
| Kidwelly Castle | £4.20 |
| Laugharne Castle | £5.00 |
| Oxwich Castle | Closed |
| Plas Mawr Elizabethan Town House | £8.70 |
| Raglan Castle | £8.70 |
| Rhuddlan Castle | £4.20 |
| Rug Chapel | £5.00 |
| St Davids Bishop's Palace | £4.20 |
| Tintern Abbey | £8.70 |
| Tretower Court and Castle | £7.30 |
| Valle Crucis Abbey | £2.80 |
| Carreg Cennen Castle | £6.50 |
| Weobley Castle | £4.60 |
Published: 5 June 2023