Route: Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal
Area: North Yorkshire
Date of walk: 8th October 2021
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 5.0 miles
Ascent: 200 feet
Weather: Sunny and warm
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden is a World Heritage Site and makes for a wonderful visit, especially when combined with a walk. There are various possible routes, as the estate contains numerous paths both within the grounds and around the perimeter
After passing through the Visitor Centre entrance (entry to the Abbey and the Water Garden is free to members of the National Trust) I made my way to nearby Fountains Abbey, which has a long and interesting history dating back to 1132. I wandered around the atmospheric ruins for a while and then strolled along the De Grey’s Walk beside the River Skell to the adjacent Studley Royal Water Garden. The garden was laid out in the 18th century by John Aislabie to impress his guests, and contains follies, statues and eye-catching vistas. It’s a stunning garden, and the strength of the design is such that it doesn’t matter that there are no flowers in it
The formal section of the gardens ends at Studley Lake. From there I decided to walk past the lake and make a short detour to the adjacent Studley Royal Deer Park, home to over 500 wild Red, Fallow and Sika deer. Time was running short and as no deer were immediately visible I retraced my steps from here back to the Abbey and the Visitor Centre. It had been another wonderful visit to this wondrous place
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for a location map – on arrival at Fountains Abbey a free and detailed map of the grounds is available, from which you may choose your preferred route
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Earlier in the week, a rainbow over one of North Yorkshire's other great abbeys - Rievaulx
The start of today's walk as I approach Huby's Tower, which appears much smaller from here than it is - there's a 30 foot cliff at the end of the entrance path
Down in the grounds of the Abbey now, Huby's Tower again, a bell tower built by Abbot Marmaduke Huby (1495–1526)
The ruins of the guest houses
Views of the Abbey....
The cloister...
Abbey Church, looking along the nave...
Views back to Fountains Abbey as I head towards the adjoining Studley Royal Water Garden...
The River Skell, which flows by the Abbey...
I arrive at the Half-moon Reservoir, and the start of Studley Royal Water Garden
I climb up to a higher route in order to see Surprise View from Anne Boleyn's Seat. The red bridge below is a temorary installation by artist Steve Messam
The Temple of Fame is a little further along the higher path
The Octagonal Tower lies at the end of the higher path
View of Studley Royal Water Garden from the Octagonal Tower
I descend back to the Water Garden via the Serpentine Tunnel, built in 1730 for John Aislabie
I cross the footbridge, with the lower canal on my left and Studley Lake on my right
Looking along the lower canal
I pass by one of the Fishing Tabernacles
I walk past Studley Lake to make a short diversion into Studley Royal Deer Park
St Mary's Church at the edge of the park
There was no immediate sign of deer, and since I had insufficient time to go and look for them I returned to the Water Garden, passing by Studley Lake again
The lower canal, with the Octagonal Tower amongst the trees
Statue of The Wrestlers, dating back to 1730
The Temple of Piety seen across the Moon pond...
The Moon pond
One of the two Crescent ponds at each side of the Moon pond
View along the Upper canal from the Rustic Bridge, with another temporary art installation by Steve Messam at the far end
I make my way back to Fountains Abbey beside the bank of the River Skell
A final view of the Abbey, and from here it's a short stroll back to the start
