Kayak to Bannerman Castle and explore Beacon this fall

A castle rises from a tiny island in the middle of the Hudson River, and the only way to reach it is by boat or kayak.

Just north of Beacon, Bannerman Castle sits on Pollepel Island, surrounded by the Hudson Highlands. A fall kayak tour offers changing foliage, river views and a chance to see the castle ruins up close, while nearby Beacon provides plenty to eat and explore back on shore.

A historic castle on the Hudson

Francis Bannerman VI, a Scottish immigrant who built a successful military-surplus business, began developing Pollepel Island in 1901 as a storage site for his goods. The complex he built included an arsenal and residence designed to resemble a Scottish castle with towers and battlements.

After Bannerman's death in 1918, the business and buildings went into decline. Fires and years of exposure damaged much of the complex, leaving the stone ruins visible today. The castle is maintained by the Bannerman Castle Trust (2 Red Flynn Dr.; bannermancastle.org; 845-831-1001), which offers a 2½-hour cruise and walking tour from the Beacon waterfront for $45 per person, Friday through Sunday through October.

Paddle and discover Bannerman Castle

Storm King Adventure Tours (4 Duncan Ave.; stormkingadventuretours.com; 845-534-7800) offers guided kayak trips to Pollepel Island from Donahue Memorial Park (99 Shore Rd.; cornwall-on-hudson.gov; 845-534-4200) in Cornwall-on-Hudson, about 20 minutes from the Beacon train station. Kayaks, paddles and life jackets are provided along with instruction and first-time kayakers are welcome.

The two-hour tour costs $75 per person and circles the island without going ashore. The roughly 3-mile route passes beneath Storm King Mountain, crosses toward Breakneck Ridge and continues north to Bannerman Castle, where guides share the history as you paddle around the ruins.

The three-hour tour costs $120 and includes time on the island. After paddling across the Hudson, you'll follow walking trails with a Bannerman Castle historian and explore the former arsenal and residence.

Paddlers must be at least 12 for a single kayak. Kids 7 and older can ride in a double kayak with an adult.

Explore nearby Beacon

Beacon boasts a modern art scene, some of the region's best hiking and a long stretch of Main Street lined with independent shops, galleries and cafes. Getting around is easy, too. The Beacon Free Loop is a complimentary hop-on, hop-off shuttle connecting the train station, the Dia Beacon museum, Mount Beacon and Main Street.

Visit Dia Beacon (3 Beekman St.; diaart.org; 845-231-0811), which fills a former Nabisco box-printing factory with art from the 1960s to the present. It's open Friday-Monday through Oct. 31 and tickets can be purchased in advance online at $25 per person.

Try several independent food vendors and visit a craft cocktail bar under one roof at The Hudson Valley Food Hall (288 Main St.; hudsonvalleyfoodhall.com; 845-288-5299), which occupies the former Roosevelt Theater. Vendors rotate but current offerings include Southern barbeque, Nicaraguan food and Mexican street food.

Browse colorful handmade pieces and watch glassblowers work at Hudson Beach Glass (162 Main St.; hudsonbeachglass.com; 845-440-0068), a longtime Beacon studio in a restored firehouse that also offers classes.

Create your own doughnut at Glazed Over Donuts (315 Main St.; glazedoverdonuts.com; 845-765-0505), known for made-to-order doughnuts with generous toppings plus doughnut ice cream sandwiches.

For hiking, head to Mount Beacon and follow the Casino Trail, which starts on a staircase that follows the old Beacon Incline Railway. After about 1.2 miles, you'll reach the ruins of the old powerhouse, with sweeping views of Beacon and the surrounding mountains. Hikers who want more can continue to the fire tower, about 4 miles round trip with roughly 1,500 feet of elevation gain.