3 of 5 (15 votes)

Ripon to Fountains Abbey and Studley park

A moderate walk (countryside) in North Yorkshire, England, about 11.50km (7.15 mi) long with an estimated walking time of about 3:30h. It is unsuitable for families with children, prams & pushchairs, wheelchairs.
Elevation Profile
Ascent 116m (380ft)
Descent 114m (374ft)
Max. Elevation 120m (393ft)
Altitude Gain & Loss 230m (754ft)
Start & End
Littlethorpe, North Yorkshire, England, HG4 2SD
Distance 11.50km
(7.15mi)
Duration ~3:30h
Difficulty  
Moderate
Ordnance Survey Map
Created by Anonymous Walker on 30 Mar 2018
Lovely views over Fountains Abbey and the surrounding countryside without paying the entrance fee. Toilets and shop available half way round the walk. Definitely required walking boots in March though only a few sections were very muddy. This is less likely to be a problem in summer.

Walk Functions

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Walk Map

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Waypoints

OS Grid SE305696
The 36 bus from Harrogate to Ripon stops here at Morrisons. From the bus stop walk toward the roundabout. On your right you will see the Quarry Moor car park. Go in to the car park and on the far side there is the footpath entrance.
OS Grid SE302699
Walk through Quarry Moor sticking to the main path with the hard surface. Where there is a choice of path, keep taking the right hand fork. You should see a pond to your right behind a fence. After this you go through a gate and the path goes down the back of some houses, coming out on to a road.
About 0.43 km (~0.27 miles) from
OS Grid SE300697
When the path comes out on to the road, keep walking in the same direction along the road, until you see a track to your left signposted as a bridleway. As you walk down this track, initially there are fields on either side but you soon come to woodland on your right.
About 0.22 km (~0.14 miles) from
OS Grid SE296689
At the start of the woodland on your right, there is a path to your right. If you take this and then turn left, there is a permissive path that goes through the woodland and comes back out on to the main track. Alternatively you can stay on the main track.
About 0.90 km (~0.56 miles) from
OS Grid SE292688
As the track goes up hill, look behind you to your left for views of Ripon cathedral and the yorkshire moors in the distance. When you get to the farm, look for a signposted path to your right, heading across the fields. This section required walking boots in March.
About 0.45 km (~0.28 miles) from
OS Grid SE291689
Continue across the field and the path continues in the same direction downhill to a gate into the woodland. It was quite obvious by the previous foot prints. Go through the gate and the path continues down to a wide path in the valley. Turn right here and follow the path to the river.
About 0.17 km (~0.11 miles) from
OS Grid SE281693
At the river, you will see a footbridge to your left. cross this and then turn left to follow the river. There are several more pretty stone bridges and ancient trees in this sheltered valley as you follow the path to Fountains Abbey. I heard many birds including woodpeckers.
About 1.06 km (~0.66 miles) from
OS Grid SE281695
Eventually the path comes to a bridge over a weir with a large lake to your left. The building on the far side of the lake is one of the entrances to Fountains Abbey grounds which is National trust property that you have to pay to enter. Follow the path ahead to the road where cars may be arriving
About 0.27 km (~0.17 miles) from
OS Grid SE276693
Turn right to walk up the road until you get to the main avenue of the deer park. If you want to, before you reach the main avenue, head off the road towards your right to a bench that looks over the lake and the water gardens beyond it. this is a lovely view.
About 0.52 km (~0.32 miles) from
OS Grid SE272687
Follow the path which should now be signposted to the visitors centre. stop at the visitors centre for toilets or food. This is the main entrance to Fountains abbey. Come back out to the road and turn left. there is a bridleway on the right hand side of the road behind a hedge
About 0.75 km (~0.47 miles) from
OS Grid SE272687
Follow the path which should now be signposted to the visitors centre. stop at the visitors centre for toilets or food. This is the main entrance to Fountains abbey. Come back out to the road and turn left. there is a bridleway on the right hand side of the road behind a hedge
About 0.00 km (~0 miles) from
OS Grid SE268683
When the road turns slightly to the right, you'll see a track on the left side of the road which will keep you walking in the same direction. Follow this and once you get to the main road turn left, following this down to another carpark and entrance.
About 0.48 km (~0.3 miles) from
OS Grid SE272680
Keep on the road until you are going back uphill and when you get to the next junction, take the left fork. There are some tight bends in the road at this section so make sure that cars can see you. stay on the road until you cross a small stream and there is a bridleway signposted to your left
About 0.52 km (~0.32 miles) from
OS Grid SE278682
Follow the bridleway and look out for views over Fountains Abbey on your left. the wall on your right is the old abbey boundary. Go through a gate and continue to the woodland opposite. Before this the path curves to the right through another gate and heads towards the farm houses
About 0.67 km (~0.42 miles) from
OS Grid SE281682
At the farm, go through the gate and turn left. walk through the farm, past the barns on your right. there were cows in the barn when I went past (March). At the back of the farm, go through the gate in to the field. there wasn't an obvious sign here.
About 0.21 km (~0.13 miles) from
OS Grid SE291687
This field was very very muddy in March. wellies would have been better than boots but I did manage to get through. past the worst of the mud, you can see stone laid in to the ground to create an old track. As the track curves to the right, stay walking straight across the field downhill to a gate
About 1.19 km (~0.74 miles) from
OS Grid SE295689
Continue on this path along the edge of the woodland. Eventually this heads back downhill to the valley that you should recognise from earlier. Take the path up to the right and begin to retrace your steps to the bus stop
About 0.38 km (~0.24 miles) from
OS Grid SE309695
As you come out of the woodland, follow the path across the fields back to the farm buildings. at the track turn left. If you have a map and want to create a longer route, there are options of turning right here, and following paths back to a different point on the 36 bus route
About 1.59 km (~0.99 miles) from
OS Grid SE304697
Continue along the track until you get to the road. turn right along the road. When the road turns to the left, follow the path in the corner that goes behind the houses
About 0.59 km (~0.37 miles) from
OS Grid SE306694
The path comes back out in to quarry moor. walk back through here, turning left at any junctions/forks until you reach the main road with the roundabout to your right. cross the road and walk to the bus stop. further along on your right is Morrisons if you need it!
About 0.36 km (~0.22 miles) from

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