Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal Water Gardens

There is something about getting out in the great outdoors that I really love in Autumn. The leaves are changing, the weather is crisper but not too cold – just cold enough that a hot meal is in order and a cup of coffee or tea as you explore goes down a treat (but the kids aren’t blue when they insist on ice cream still!)

Yesterday we went to the absolutely beautiful Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal water gardens in Ripon and I have to say that we loved it – I really wish we vlogged it!

Fountain’s Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries in England, and it is exactly as spectacular as it sounds. If the abbey itself isn’t enough to draw you in then the Studley Royal water gardens should be. I was gutted that we had to leave early to head home for an Asda delivery – it’s sod’s law isn’t it? You book something for 4-6pm and it arrives early when you are away and late when you wait in – so we ended up missing the beautiful water gardens but fortunately we’ve treated ourselves to a National Trust pass now so we will be heading back time and again.

So what is there to do at this abbey other than take a bajillion Instagram friendly snaps of your sprogs or the amazing architecture?

One word: Explore.

The mill, the landscapes, the hills, the water gardens, the hall, the abbey, the history – there is so much to see and do. When I told Reuben where we were going there were tears believe it or not! “I don’t want to go out, it’s boring – I don’t care about a park and ruins! I WANT TO PLAY WITH MY TRANSFORMERS!” By the time we left? Tears that we hadn’t seen it all or explored every nook and cranny of the magical ruins, tears that we missed the deer (yes, hundreds of deer around the abbey and fields) and tears that we would have to wait a few weeks to come back.

A few tips?

• Eat in the restaurant, especially when it’s cold.

The restaurant food was delicious and we had 2 adult Sunday dinners, 3 sausage and mash for kids and 3 apple juices with two hot drinks for £39. Yes, not the cheapest and if you want to you has a million and one idyllic places to stop and have a picnic, but if you are like me and you like a hot meal in your belly before you explore, then I don’t think that £39 for a family of 5 is bad going.

• Wellies or boots are essential

Wellies, boots or shoes you don’t mind getting wet! There are tonnes of puddles and it’s mainly grassy areas, so don’t be surprised when I say you get pretty muddy – I can’t imagine how filthy the kids would have been if they made it to the water gardens!

• Take time to look at the abbey properly – there is so much to see!

Seriously, I was such a grumpy moo that we had to whizz around the Abbey – we took too long in the mill and having lunch when we only really had 3 hours to look around! There is so much to see, so many little places to discover and there is a real sense of WOW around the building – we’ve promised the boys that we will take them back in the evening one weekend to see it all lit up, a special offer that is available now.

• Use your map!

Sounds daft but we didn’t even open ours until we got home – we were too busy trying to take it all in and now we have opened it up, we’ve missed loads!

• If you don’t want to spend a fortune, avoid the shop!

Ohhh National Trust, you kill me with your shops. I would be happy to walk around the NT shops and spend a fortune but I never do! The stuff varies from being strangely expensive to being absolutely a bargain and glorious (the blankets are usually really well priced, chutneys and such, not so much!)

• Prepare to spend the whole day!

We made the mistake of getting there at midday and having around 3-4 hours at the place! Such an error. Nope, arrive super early, we’re talking 10am at the latest and rock out until evening because you will not see it all!

Last tips: How to save a bit of moola!

Ok I have a few tips here:

• Grab a picnic and take a flask. I know I said eat there and it’s worth it (it is) but if you are looking for a cheap day out, eating out in the restaurant will be one way to save the pennies. Take a picnic blanket and go and sit in one of the beautiful places on offer. You can even sit inside the abbey itself.
• Buy an annual pass – seriously, you will want to come back. You will. So buy the annual pass and you get the entry for the day free or refunded!
• Spend the whole day! You get great value when you spend the whole day there, where else can you spend an entire day filled with fun and exploration without spending a tonne?

If we don’t go back a week on Sunday we will be back before the end of October for sure! Fountain’s Abbey is one of the best places we’ve been for a while – a romantic place to visit without the children and a great place to explore and learn about history in with the kids.

H 🙂 x

Total transparency as always my loves, we were sent here by My Voucher Codes, a big thank you to them!