Family
A Great Escape to Fountains Abbey… By Polly Bennett, Little Vikings - visit little-vikings.co.uk
It’s that time of year when lots of families are frantically packing, keeping their fingers crossed that the little one’s new passport arrives in time and jetting off, exhausted, to warmer climes. While we can understand the allure of a change of scene and the hope of non-stop sunshine, we’re staying put and having a very Yorkshire summer with our children. One place we’re going to be returning to is Fountains Abbey and Studley Grange, a World Heritage Site just outside Ripon, and here’s why.
Getting there Just 20 minutes away from Harrogate, Fountains Abbey is within easy reach. On the advice of the lovely people at the estate, we parked at Studley Royal (follow signs for the village of Studley Roger), which was a great tip. We spotted deer as we drove through the deer park and parked up next to the lovely waterfront cafe so we could dose up on much needed caffeine. What we did Entering at Studley Royal meant that we avoided getting stuck in the play area for
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an hour, which is what always happens when we park at the main entrance. Instead we pottered through the water gardens and enjoyed spotting the outdoor artworks, part of Folly!, Fountains’ new exhibition - pick up a trail map at the entrance. The children were intrigued by them all, but in particular The Cloud, a huge, cloud-like piece designed by an 11-year-old competition winner. They loved listening to the water sounds at The Listening Tower and looking at their own reflection
