Fountains Abbey –

Medium Walk

This is a pleasant long walk with the spectacular Fountains Abbey as its starting and ending point. Around 6 and a half miles in length this walk will take about 3 hours to complete and another few hours can be spent exploring the Abbey and its grounds.

Getting ThereFrom Middlesbrough take the A19 south and turn right at the Thirsk turning onto the A61 which will take you towards Ripon. When arriving in Ripon look for the B265 right turning at a roundabout which will take you to Studley Park and Fountains Abbey. You would need to park at the smaller west car park at the far entrance to Fountains Abbey which is where you will start the walk.

Fountain Abbey walk route

From the car park turn right uphill signed "Harrogate". At the fork in the

road turn left signed "Markington, Harrogate" Just after the road bends

right go left at a footpath sign through the gate.

Following the grassy path which is just inside the abbey wall, passing

a small pond. You should have a view of the abbey along the

way.

Go through a waymarked gate and follow the track as it bends round to the right through another gate then bend left to a gate into Hill House Farm.

Turn right, then follow the footpath signs to go left at the end of the large shed then right. Go through a metal gate on to a track. At the end of the hedge, go ahead down the field to a gate in the wood. Follow the track, passing the ruined archway, to descend to reach a crossroads of tracks.

 

Go straight ahead signposted as "Ripon". The track climbs to a gate

with a Ripon Rowell Walk sign. Follow the track beside the line of trees to a gate on Whitcliffe Lane. Turn right. At the top of the rise go straight ahead

on the metalled road.

Go over the cattle grid by Bland Close, then leave the lane to go ahead with the hedge on your right to a gateway. Continue along

the waymarked track, eventually with woodland to your right.  Follow the

park wall through a gateway to a gate on a lane. Turn right to farm

buildings by Markenfield Hall.

 

 Follow the wall to the left, going through a metal gate and straight ahead down the track, over a stile by a gate. Follow the track, then a waymark sign, across a field to a stile by a gate. Turn right up the narrow Strait Lane to emerge into a field.

Follow the waymarked path beside the hedge. Go through a gate in the field corner and continue with the hedge to the right. Go through two more gates. At a third gate, don't go through, but bend left through a hedge gap and down the field side, with the hedge right, to go through a gate onto Whitcliffe Lane.

Turn left and follow the lane, which leads in the direction of How Hill Tower, an 18th century folly to a T-junction. Turn right here and follow the road back to the car park. You are now able to explore the Abbey.