Fountains Abbey

fr

Great circular walk to visit Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the famous ruins of Fountains Abbey. Fees apply to visit the Fountains Abbey.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.55 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 130 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 129 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 148 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 76 m
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Description of the walk

Start: West Gate Car Park (Fountains Abbey), Ripon (HG4 3DZ), Fees apply to non-members of the National Trust. Grid ref. SE 270 681

(S/E) Exit the car park and turn right on the road. Continue straight on this road for around 500m until seeing a footpath on the left-hand side.

(1) Turn left and continue on the footpath with the Abbey dry stones wall on your right hand side. Continue on this path until reaching a farm. Bypass the farm by using the indicated footpath and continue straight on this main footpath for around 2 Km until reaching Whitcliffe Hall and an intersection of paths.

(2) At Whitcliff Hall take right (South) and continue straight until Markenfield Hall and an intersection of paths. Take right and straight left. Continue straight (South) on this main path across fields until reaching an intersection of paths.

(3) Take right on Strait Lane (West then North-West) and continue straight ahead on this path until reaching a small road.

(4) Take left and continue straight (South-West) until reaching an intersection of roads.

(5) Take right at the intersection, and continue straight on this road until seeing the entrance of Fountains Abbey on your right hand side. (You can stop the walk here as you will pass in front of the car park, if you don't want to visit Fountain Abbey otherwise carry on past it).

(6) Enter Fountains Abbey ground (Fees apply from here) and continue on the main path towards the main of Fountains Abbey. Continue straight toward the water garden then the lake and the Obelisk. At the Obelisk go left and continue on the footpath until seeing an intersection of paths. Take left to finish the circle and come back to the entrance of Fountain Abbey. Exit Fountains Abbey ground and take left on the road to find the car park (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 88 m - West Gate Car Park (Fountains Abbey)
  2. 1 : km 0.52 - alt. 113 m - Left on footpath - dry stone wall on the right
  3. 2 : km 3.34 - alt. 77 m - Take right
  4. 3 : km 5.91 - alt. 90 m - Take right
  5. 4 : km 7.49 - alt. 121 m - Take left
  6. 5 : km 8.33 - alt. 146 m - Take right
  7. 6 : km 9.96 - alt. 93 m - Entrance of Fountains Abbey
  8. S/E : km 13.55 - alt. 88 m - West Gate Car Park (Fountains Abbey)

Practical information

Start: West Gate Car Park (Fountains Abbey), Ripon (HG4 3DZ), Fees apply to non-members of the National Trust. Grid ref. SE 270 681

Car park: West Gate Car Park (Fountains Abbey), Ripon HG4 3DZ, Fees apply to non-members of the National Trust

Terrain: Road, fields

Note: You will need to buy a ticket to visit Fountains Abbey ( and ) if you are not a National Trust member. You can find more information on their website

Find more information and walks on Our Lake District Escapades website

In the nearby area

Fountains Abbey ruins

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