A great escape to Fountains Abbey

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

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

(of course) in The Gazing Ball. The huge parrot-like tower Polly has a camera obscura inside which projects views of the water garden back inside it as you turn the handle inside.

Culture ticked off, we found a nice spot for a picnic and tried to eat it while being entertained by a very persistent duck and its very hungry friends. We’ve had picnics in lots of lovely places, but we’d give the water garden ten out of ten for prettiness. From there it was onto the ruins, which are incredible sight whether you’re seeing them for the first time or you’ve visited before. It’s a great place to explore and learn about how the monks lived, and it’s a good spot for a game of hide and seek, too. After a quick drink at the Fountains Mill cafe we explored the mill itself - there’s a short video, a couple of hands-on activities and the chance to watch the big water mill turning - before heading up the hill to the play area. We couldn’t resist popping our heads into Swanley Grange on the way there, where we learnt about the abbey’s connection with the wool industry and tried our hands at weaving. The lure of the play area called, and the children soon found themselves climbing, balancing and playing to their heart’s content.

There’s something for all ages in the playground, from swings for little ones to a zip wire for older kids. We could easily have spent an hour there if low energy levels weren’t calling out for an ice cream. We ended our trip at the main visitor centre (Mr Viking kindly drove our car round from Studley Royal to save tired legs - what a hero) where we rewarded our efforts with delicious ice cream all round.

Food and drink This is ideal picnicking territory, but there are plenty of food and drink options if you don’t want to take your own. There’s a restaurant at the main visitor centre and a cafe at Studley Royal and Fountains Mill.

Good to know Fountains Abbey is a short drive from Brimham Rocks, another of our favourite places to let the children roam free, so you could combine a visit to both. Entry to Brimham Rocks is free, just pay to park. Folly! runs at Fountains Abbey until Sunday 4 November 2018. Entry to and parking for Fountains Abbey is free for National Trust members.

Fountains Abbey, Fountains, Ripon HG4 3DY www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fountainsabbey