Guide
Things to Do in Harrogate
From beautiful gardens and historic baths to independent streets, open spaces, countryside walks and some of Yorkshire's best days out, discover the best things to do in and around Harrogate.
Culture & Heritage
Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal
Ruined Cistercian abbey and Georgian water garden near Ripon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Fountains Abbey is the largest monastic ruin in the country, and the scale of it takes most people by surprise on first sight.
What makes the site exceptional is the combination: the 12th-century abbey ruins sit at one end of Studley Royal, an 18th-century water garden of mirror ponds, follies and engineered views, with a deer park beyond. The two were never designed together, which is precisely why the walk between them works so well.
It is cared for by the National Trust and is around a 30 minute drive from Harrogate. Allow most of a day, and expect a lot of walking on uneven ground.
Good for
World Heritage·Walking·Full Day Out·Photography·Families
Last verified 11/09/2026. Something changed? Let us know
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