Skipton Castle is one of the most complete medieval castles in England, a distinction it owes partly to Lady Anne Clifford's determined restoration in the 1650s and partly to the quality of the original fourteenth-century construction. Six round towers surround a large central courtyard; the great hall and many of the interior rooms are well preserved and open to visitors. The yew tree in the courtyard was planted by Lady Anne herself.
The castle is privately owned and charges admission, but it is genuinely worth it — you can explore most of the interior without a guide, and the combination of medieval stonework, Tudor modifications, and the remarkable survival story makes it one of the more engaging castle visits in northern England. The views from the towers across Skipton and toward the Dales hills provide a good sense of why this was the key fortification in the region. Open daily except Christmas Day.