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John's Deer Park Walk
Fountains Abbey and Studley
Royal, Ripon, HG4 3DY
TRAIL
Walking
GRADE
Moderate
DISTANCE
3 miles (5km)
TIME
Our deer warden John has picked
this walk as one of his favourites
within the park. As you follow the
circular route, look out for some of
the 500 wild deer that live here.
Please take extra care during the
months of October and November
when the annual mating season
- deer rut - takes place. Ensure
you keep your distance and have
dogs on a short lead at all times.
1 hour
Terrain
OS MAP
This walk follows bridleways and footpaths through parkland. The terrain is fairly easy walking and
mostly flat. Walking boots are recommended.
Explorer 299 Ripon
and Boroughbridge
Things to see
Contact
01765 608888
fountainsabbey@nationaltrust.org.uk
Facilities
nationaltrust.org.uk/walks
Studley Royal House
Rough Bridge
Deer in the parkland
The house began life as the
manor house of the medieval
village of Studley Magna, then
underwent many alterations.
In the 1750s, William Aislabie
remodelled the façade to a
fashionable neoclassical front.
A century later, the Marquis of
Ripon renovated the house again
and laid out formal gardens in the
1860s. The house burned down
in 1946, sadly. The impressive
stable block is all that remains
today.
This large gritstone and limestone
rubble bridge carried the track
from Studley Royal House to
Wheatbriggs House, the old head
gardener's house, on the other
side of the parkland. We know
that it dates from the mid-18th
century but do not know if it was
John or William Aislabie who
ordered its contruction.
There are three species of deer
living on the estate: red, fallow
and sika. The red are the largest
and the stags have impressive
pointed antlers. Fallow bucks
have flat, palmate antlers and
are a tan colour with white spots.
Sika deer are the only non-native
species in the park and are
generally smaller than the red and
fallow deer. They also have white
spots so it can be difficult to tell
them apart from the fallows from a
distance.
Fountains Abbey and Studley
Royal, Ripon, HG4 3DY
Start/end
Start: Visitor Centre, grid ref:
SE272687
End: Fountains Abbey Visitor
Centre grid ref: SE27306870
How to get there
By foot: Public footpaths and
bridleways link Fountains
Abbey & Studley Royal to the
city of Ripon, 4 miles away.
By bike: Follow the signed onroad cycle loop. On Way of
the Roses coast to coast cycle
route. Cycle racks located at
the Visitor Centre.
By bus: Links from Yorkshire
Dales, Leeds, Harrogate and
York to Ripon. Connections to
Fountains Abbey via 139 Ripon
Roweller service. Please call
Traveline for details 0871 200
22 33.
By car: off B6265 Ripon to
Pateley Bridge. 8 miles west
of A1(M), 12 miles north of
Harrogate A61. Follow the
brown tourist signs.
nationaltrust.org.uk/walks
1. From the Visitor Centre car park, head for the mini roundabout and turn right along the bridle path
that runs alongside the estate drive towards St Mary's Church. Turn right through a gate, looking out
for the obelisk, and walk along the tarmac drive until you reach the church.
2. Just before reaching the church turn left onto a mown path in the grass and follow the boundary
wall until you reach the grand stable block of Studley Royal House, now a private residence.
3. Walk past the house and turn right, walking along with the house on your right until you reach a
tarmac drive. Cross over the drive and head down the slope, looking out for a stone bridge. Cross the
bridge and follow a line of oak trees, passing the old head gardener's house and cottages that once
belonged to estate workers.
4. Turn right along the boundary ha ha and wall and continue along until you reach the public right of
way marker. Turn right here and follow the path back up through the deer park alongside the estate
drive. The track will take you back to pass in front of St Mary's Church.
5. Pass through the gate and turn left, retracing your steps for the final part of the walk towards the
Visitor Centre.