Saturday 15 July 2017

Walk to Fountains Abbey - 2017

Walking to Fountains Abbey and spending the day there is something my sister and I "must" do every year on our Yorkshire Holiday, and we very much look forward to it every time. Of course you have seen my posts about this very same walk in previous years, if you have been following my blog back then, so I understand if you rather skip this one.

Thursdays are market days in Ripon, and we needed to stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables, so that was our first task. The market was larger last year; we missed the cheese stall where we used to get Wensleydale cheese before, and some other stalls were not there, either. Unfortunately, when we were at the Great Yorkshire Show the day before, I opted against buying cheese there, as I was certain we would be able to get that here in Ripon on the market - now it was my fault that we had to buy our cheese elsewhere. We still got nice fruit and vegetables, though.

Once we had stored everything in the kitchen and prepared ourselves sandwiches and bottles of water, we set off in the sunshine - the day was perfect, warm enough to go short-sleeved and (halfway) bare-legged.

Past Ripon's cricket ground:
 


 Across the river and on to the fields:



Lawrence House in Studley Roger, the hamlet at one end of the huge estate that comprises Fountains Abbey, Fountains Hall and Studley Royal:




Entrance to the deer park at Studley; admission free:
 

Looking back towards Ripon Cathedral in the distance:

This pheasant cock was totally unfazed by our presence; he was very close to the road but eventually hopped off further into the meadow:


St. Mary's in the distance:

Chorister's House next to St. Mary's; this can be rented as a holiday home:

St. Mary's:

More in my next post!

12 comments:

  1. They look like oil paintings woul look it they were painted today.. The skies look menacing. Very good.

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    1. Thank you! It was dry all day, and sunnier than my pictures make it look. Those clouds were really there, though.

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  2. Lovely to be back in Yorkshire with you! (via your photos) ;)

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    1. Glad you're enjoying our holiday, Monica :-)

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  3. I loved this post, like I was walking right there with you!
    I can just make out the men in their cricket whites in that first photo!
    Lovely part of England, I hope to make it there one day.

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    1. I am sure you'd love it, Kay!
      Those men on the cricket ground - isn't that such a typical scene, so very, very English?

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  4. You take us to places in beautiful England I've never seen - perhaps some day on a return visit home I can get to spend time Yorkshire!

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    1. There are many places in beautiful England I most likely will never see - but that's alright, I am perfectly happy returning to Yorkshire over and over again!

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  5. Another day and another walk with you (vicariously). The Chorister House as a holiday let must house a lot of people and be way out of my price league I should think.

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    1. Probably well out of my price league, too, but I guess if one goes there with a group of friends and everyone pays their share, it can be done - but for us, without a car, it is unfeasable, and so we will keep going back to Matchbox Cottage.

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  6. These are lovely photos, I'd forgotten there was so much in Fountains Abbey area. I must say that the mansion reminds me a lot of Burton Agnes Hall from the outside. (Burton Agnes is not so very far away and well worth a visit. ) I've been away from Blogland for a while so have some catching up to do. I looked up the Chorister's house on the NT website, and although it is beautiful I don't think I would want to stay there as it doesn't look as if it will catch the sun at any time so that is a no-no for me. Even if I had the money! :)

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    1. Well, the Choristers' House certainly stood in plain sun light when we were there - it has never struck me as particularly dark or gloomy. But I can see how this impression can arise from looking at the pictures on the official website.
      I've heard of Burton Agnes and know it is not far, but once again, I suppose it is a place you need a car to get to - and we don't have one when we're in Yorkshire. Maybe I should put it on our list for next year, hoping that my sister-in-law or her daughter can drive us :-)

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