Finding ourselves in the beautiful area of North Yorkshire, we decided to make the most of our National Trust membership and spend an afternoon at Fountains Abbey.
The ruinous abbey is quite an impressive sight. These ruins of a former monastery are the largest in England. The site was built in the 12th century by Benedictine monks seeking a more austere and simpler way of life to the more lavish lifestyle they had grown accustomed to. Fountains Abbey became a Cistercian monastery and was occupied until the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Thomas Cromwell in 1539.
I did enjoy learning all about the history of Fountains Abbey in a little museum close to the abbey.
Today thousands of visitors flock to the site each year to enjoy a stroll through the grounds, or to admire the ruins that once belonged to an impressively large monastery.
The site is absolutely huge and there are plenty of different walks that can be taken. There are walks suitable for all ages and abilities.
Visitors are free to wander around the ruins and take in the atmosphere.
I particularly enjoyed the archways and thought they were rather photogenic.
There is a large play area for the children and from there you can catch some amazing views of the abbey.
Toilets are located close to the entrance and also in the restaurant.
Accessibility
The car park lies close to the site entrance and tickets can be purchased at the gatehouse upon entering. When we arrived, we spotted some trampers for hire making the site accessible for those with limited mobility. The path to the abbey is fairly flat and even however there are a number of steep hills on site. If you are planning on heading up to the restaurant or play area, a tramper/mobility scooter would be useful for those with mobility issues as the path is rather steep.
Dogs
The dogs were permitted throughout the grounds and were even welcome inside the restaurant in the pet-friendly area. There were plenty of other dogs for mine to meet and greet!
