Free entry with National Trust or NTS membership
No need to book. National Trust, National Trust for Scotland and English Heritage cards give free admission and parking (not CADW, Historic Scotland or voucher entry).
Non-members pay to park.
Enter this code in JustPark to pay, or at the machine. Members park free after checking in.
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is Yorkshire's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, a place made of two moments in history: one of the largest and best-preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries in England, with its vaulted ceilings and imposing tower, set beside the finest surviving Georgian water garden in the country, whose lakes, canals, temples and cascades open one vista after another. Beyond them the deer park holds more than 300 red, sika and fallow deer and St Mary's Church, William Burges's high Victorian Gothic masterpiece. Dogs are very welcome on a short lead in all outdoor spaces, including the deer park, and at signposted tables in the visitor centre restaurant, but not in Fountains Hall or the play area. Five Trust trails start from the visitor centre, from the easy 2.5-mile ancient trees walk to the 5-mile circuit of park, water garden and abbey. Reviewers plan a full day and put the deer among the highlights. Tips from visitors: the path from the visitor centre drops steeply to the abbey, so use the West Gate car park for level access, and the Studley tea-room and the gate between deer park and water garden are shut for building works.
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is fully CLOSED on Sunday 25 October due to storm Boelo. On Monday 26 October, the grounds will reopen at 11am after the team have completed safety checks.
Abbey and water garden admission
Prices, non-members
Parking at the Visitor Centre and West Gate car park is free. Studley Royal car park is pay and display and costs £7 for four hours and £10 for the day. National Trust, National Trust for Scotland and English Heritage membership cards are valid for free admission and parking. Please remember to bring your card to show on arrival. We don’t accept English Heritage associated memberships including, CADW, Historic Scotland and CSSC or free entry vouchers issued by English Heritage. 'Free Entry' vouchers in newspapers and online are not acepted here. We are not operating a pre-booking service. There's no need to book your visit in advance.
Car parks are locked 90 minutes after the last admission time.
On selected evenings in October, Fountains by Floodlight ticket holders can enter until 8pm. On these dates, daytime admission closes as usual at 4.30pm before reopening at 5pm for ticketed event entry.
5.0· 1 review
Amazing Place
What a great place to visit and, so much bigger than we thought. You can easily spend a whole day here amongst the ruins, surrounding grounds and deer park.
Tip: Plan to spend the whole day and to do a fair amount of walking.
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Dogs, with restrictions
3.8 miles (6.08km), easy, circular from the Fountains Abbey Visitor Centre (grid ref SE272687) following the River Skell over its arched bridges; short lead in the deer park.
Dogs, with restrictions
3 miles (4.8km), moderate, 1 hour, circular from the visitor centre (grid ref SE272687) through the deer park among 300 wild deer.
Dogs, with restrictions
2.5 miles (4km), easy, circular from the visitor centre (grid ref SE272687) past the ancient trees of the deer park and the 18th-century landscape.
Dogs, with restrictions
5 miles (8km), moderate, 2 hours 30 minutes, circular from the visitor centre (grid ref SE272687) through the deer park, Seven Bridges Valley, water garden and abbey.
Dogs, with restrictions
1 mile (1.6km), easy, from Hell Wath (grid ref SE304707) on the edge of Ripon; steps and rough terrain, not accessible for wheelchairs or pushchairs.
