Yorkshire

The Fountains Way

2 adults with a toddler and pushchair going across a bridge over a weir — The start of the Seven Bridges Valley | © Paul Harris

A rewarding way to arrive at Fountains Abbey on foot, via rural paths from Ripon and the stately lime avenue through Studley Royal Deer Park. The return stretch of this circular walk takes you through the Seven Bridges Valley.

Near to

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden

Start point

Ripon bus station, grid ref: SE314714

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 8.6 (km: 13.76)

Duration4 hours to 4 hours 30 mins

Dog friendly***

*A moderate walk along mostly flat footpaths through parkland. For further details, please see section marked Terrain.
**An alternative wheelchair, pushchair and mobility vehicle friendly route option is available. For further details, please see section marked Access.
***Please keep dogs on a short lead at all times. For further details, please see section marked Facilities.

Annual mating season

Please take extra care during the months of October and November when the annual mating season – deer rut – takes place. Ensure you keep your distance and have dogs on a short lead at all times.

Address
Market Place, Ripon, Yorkshire, HG4 1BP
Directions via Google Maps
By train
Nearest stations at Thirsk (10 miles) and Harrogate (11.5 miles).
By bus
Various bus routes serve Ripon from surrounding towns.
Cycling
Ripon is on National Cycle Network Route 688. Fountains Abbey is on Way of the Roses coast–to–coast cycle route. Cycle parking is located at the visitor centre.
By road
Reach Ripon via the A61, just off the A1(M). Satnav for Cathedral long stay car park: HG4 1LX.
Dogs
Responsible dog owners welcome, please keep dogs on a short lead and 'scoop their poop.'
Car park
Various pay and display car parks (not National Trust) near Ripon Market Place, including Victoria Grove, Cathedral and St Marygate. Free parking at Fountains Abbey Visitor Centre. Pay and display parking (NT members free) at Studley.Please don't park in the local village as this causes an obstruction for residents and emergency vehicles.
Toilet
There are toilets at Ripon bus station and at in Studley car park.
Café
Studley tea–room is located at the entrance to the water garden, a short diversion from Step 5, serving snacks and hot and cold drinks. The tea–room is open 10am–4pm daily. The are several cafés in Ripon.
This trail follows two routes. The off road route includes a section through Hell Wath Local Nature Reserve which is not accessible for wheelchairs, pushchairs and mobility vehicles, as it includes steps and some rough terrain, and will present challenges for people with additional access considerations. There is an alternative on-road option from Ripon City Centre to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal suitable for a wheelchair, pushchair and mobility vehicle users.
Accessible toilet
There are accessible toilets at Ripon bus station and at in Studley car park.
Steps/uneven terrain
There are some gentle and steep slopes around the estate. Please be aware of uneven ground, height drops and deep running water. We recommend wearing sturdy shoes when you visit.
Accessible route and/or map
If you would like more accessibility information on the Fountains Way accessible route, you can watch the video at the bottom of this page from Experience Community, which shows the accessible route and describes the route’s terrain, surfaces and accessibility features so you know what to expect before you go.
Total stages: 7
Total stages: 7
Start point
Ripon bus station, grid ref: SE314714
Stage 1
There are two different routes depending on your confidence and the nature of your mobility vehicle. Leave Ripon bus station, heading west towards Queen Street, then bear left to Market Place. Cross the square diagonally to the south-west corner and bear left via pedestrian crossings, past the end of Westgate and down the hill along High Skellgate. Continue down to the traffic-light-controlled junction. Go straight on at the junction, across the pedestrian crossing into Low Skellgate, taking care on the narrow footpath. Go past the service garage on the right, bear left and continue over the bridge to Harrogate Road. Alternative route: From the bus station, head down to the toilet blocks, turn right and go through the footpath in the top corner of the car park. Continue straight ahead, through the walled corner, then keep to the right hand path to the road. Cross the road, head in front of the cathedral and along the footpath straight ahead, which winds left along the side of the cathedral. Continue along this path, bearing right at the path junction, to come out onto the road. Turn left, then right down Low Saint Agnesgate. Continue straight ahead over the bridge to the Water Rat pub. Turn right in front of the pub and follow the riverside path. At the end of the footpath, cross the road and turn right up toward Bondgate Bridge. Cross the road and ahead down the footpath opposite, to follow the riverside path again. At the end of this footpath follow the road ahead to come out onto Harrogate Road (Low Skellgate Bridge).
Stage 2
Off road route - Turn right along Borrage Green Lane and continue down the road, which eventually becomes a wide footpath, joining the River Skell on your right. Pass a wooden bridge on your right and continue ahead to climb some concrete steps. Follow the path through scrubland, mostly keeping the river in view on your right. Emerge onto a road at Hell Wath Cottage. On road route - continue along Harrogate Road, until you come to the South Lodge pub. Turn right and continue down Whitcliffe Lane until you come to the crossroads at the end. Please note that there are areas with no dropped kerbs along this road. Turn right down Hell Wath Lane, and continue straight past the Ripon Panthers’ clubhouse until you reach Hell Wath Cottage.
Stage 3
If you've walked through Hell Wath, turn right through the wooden gate. If you've come down the vehicle track, continue straight through the wooden gate. Continue along a wide gravel path and across two narrow bridges. At the crossroads, turn left following the sign post to Studley Roger and Fountains Abbey. After passing through a swinging gate you'll arrive in Studley Roger village.
Stage 4
There are two different routes depending on your confidence and the nature of your mobility vehicle. Off road route - cross the road, continue along straight along the public footpath and head through the gate into Studley Royal Deer Park. After you reach the interpretation panel, follow the path to your left along the wall until you join the main vehicle drive in the park. On road route - turn left heading along the vehicle road then bear right following signs to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal along the main vehicle drive in the park. On a clear day, you'll see St Mary's church ahead. Turning around, you'll see Ripon Cathedral in the distance.
The deer in the parkland
There are three species of deer living on the estate: red, fallow and sika. The red are the largest and the stags have impressive pointed antlers. Fallow bucks have flat, palmate antlers and are a tan colour with white spots. Sika deer are the only non–native species in the park and are generally smaller than the red and fallow deer. They also have white spots so it can be difficult to tell them apart from the fallows from a distance.
We look after three different species of deer here at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal | © J Shepherd
Stage 5
Follow the drive up towards a junction and turn left towards Studley Lake. At this point you can divert to visit the abbey ruins, water garden and lakeside tea-room. To continue your walk, as the drive bends right take the track on your left, crossing the footbridge with the lake on your right.
Enjoy an ice-cream with a view this summer in the Studley tea-room garden | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey
Stage 6
There are two different routes depending on your confidence and the nature of your mobility vehicle. Off road route - after crossing the footbridge, follow the well-defined footpath ahead, down the Valley of the Seven Bridges and follow the course of the River Skell. The river can disappear into swallow holes in the limestone rock during dry weather. After you've crossed five bridges (there were originally seven), exit the land in our care via a metal gate, following the track beside the river. At the track junction, bear left and continue up the hill to open views over Ripon and past Plumpton Hall farmhouse, returning to Studley Roger village, passing the entrance to the estate on your left. On road route - retrace your path back to Studley Roger village.
Valley of the Seven Bridges
William Aislabie created a Chinese garden in this valley in the mid-18th century, though sadly little of it remains. The original bridges were made of timber and built in a Chinese lattice style. As you walk through the Seven Bridges Valley, look out for the Roman Monument, which is perched high on a cliff above the River Skell. Research suggests the most likely date for the construction of the Roman Monument is around 1750. The monument was modelled on the tomb of the Horatii and Curiatii on the Appian Way near Rome. In the last century, the name of the monument changed from the Roman Monument to the Devil’s Chimney. It may have been around this time that the pinnacles or ‘cippi’ were removed from the roof.
The Roman Monument in the Seven Bridges Valley | © Paul Harris
Stage 7
Continue straight ahead towards the B6265. When you reach the bus stop in Studley Royal village, turn right following the public footpath sign. From here, retrace your way back through sections 3, 2 and 1 to take you back to Ripon bus station.
A summer view of Ripon Cathedral, looking down through the Lime Avenue in Studley Royal Deer Park, Yorkshire | © National Trust/Jenni Shepherd
End point
Ripon bus station, grid ref: SE314714
Trail map
Fountains Way map trail created as part of the Skell Valley Project | © Map
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Fountains, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 3DY

01765608888

fountainsabbey@nationaltrust.org.uk

the photo shows two people, one of which is in a wheelchair, viewing a interpretation panel in the deer park

Accessibility Information

If you would like more accessibility information on the Fountains Way accessible route, you can watch this video from Experience Community, which shows the accessible route and describes the route’s terrain, surfaces and accessibility features so you know what to expect before you go.

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