Route: Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal
Area: North Yorkshire
Date of walk: 15th October 2022
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 4.0 miles
Ascent: 200 feet
Weather: Sunny at first, rain setting in
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. As I reached this point heavy rain set in. I’d intended to carry on to the adjacent Studley Royal Deer Park, home to over 500 wild Red, Fallow and Sika deer. In view of the poor weather I turned back and returned to Fountains Abby via Huby’s Tower and the path on the other side of the River Skell. It had been another wonderful visit to this special 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
After passing through the visitor centre I follow the signed path to Fountains Abbey
The guesthouses
Huby's Tower, a bell tower built by Abbot Marmaduke Huby (1495–1526)
Inside the ruins of the Abbey buildings...
Huby's Tower again
The Cloister
The Refectory
The Cellarium, used for the storage of food and drink
The Chapter House, where the abbot and monks met every day to listen to matters of religious importance, as well as to discuss the day-to-day affairs of the abbey...
Abbey Church, looking along the nave to the West Window
The Chapel of the Nine Altars, Chancel and East Window...
Columns in the aisles
I leave the abbey to walk beside the River Skell, heading for Studley Royal Water Garden
Looking back to Fountains Abbey
The start of Studley Royal Water Garden is around the corner
I arrive in the garden area
A rainbow above the Crescent Ponds and the Moon Pond
Looking along the Lower Canal, with the Octagonal Tower up on the right
The Rustic Bridge
The Moon Pond and the Temple of Piety, dating back to the 1730's
I climb up a path, and then through the Serpentine Tunnel
The Octagonal Tower
A higher level path brings me to the Temple of Fame, built in 1770 for William Aislabie. The columns appear to be made of stone, but are actually wood and plaster. As a result of this unusual construction it has required frequent renovations
In 1767 William Aislabie purchased the Abbey ruins to complete the garden and create the ultimate vista. The climax of the garden is known as Surprise View or Anne Boleyn’s Seat from where there is a view of the Abbey ruins in the distance. The design was intended to cause a sharp intake of breath when visitors to the garden came across it
I descended back to the River Skell
A final view of Fountains Abbey, and from here I continue along the riverside path and make my way back to the start
