This article is sponsored by the National Trust
The autumn colours make October and November a fantastic time to see the beautiful Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal in a whole new light.
Whether you’re looking for a family day out with the kids or a mid-week ramble with some friends, the National Trust and World Heritage Site has plenty to offer – including a few hidden gems you might not have noticed before.
Here are our five don’t-miss moments to look out for this autumn…
Fountains Mill
As well as being the oldest building on the estate, the Fountains Mill is also the oldest standing building in the care of the entire National Trust. Built to grind grain for the developing monastery, it survived the eventual closure of the abbey and continued to mill grain right up until 1927. In its long history, the building has been a monastic granary, a timber sawmill, a home for refugees, a mason’s workshop and a base for an innovative hydro electric generator. When you step inside, see if you can spot graffiti from centuries ago or see the splash of the mill wheel turning.
Green Man
Looking out from the east side of the abbey ruin is the green man. He’s a mysterious figure to see on an important religious building. It’s thought that it’s a nod to the older pagan faith and a connection to nature in the beautiful Skell Valley that the abbey sits in.
Surprise View
Surprise view (or ‘Anne Boleyn’s seat’ as it is sometimes called), has been one of the most popular spots for visitors to the water garden for centuries. Before the abbey ruin and Studley were united into one estate, the garden was cleverly designed to offer up a series of these famous “borrowed views” of the abbey. Standing in this spot, we can certainly understand why it would have been all too tempting to peek over the wall at the neighbours and not want to enjoy it for yourself!
Serpentine Tunnel
The Serpentine Tunnel was designed to give Georgian guests a gentle fright. It’s pitch black in the middle and still dark enough to be exciting today. Do you dare to try it for yourself? In autumn it’s even more spectacular, as when you emerge, you’ll see one of the most colourful views of Studley. Can you see the rainbow colours of the trees reflected into the Moon Ponds of the water garden?
Studley Deer Park
Autumn is an amazing time to visit the deer park, and see the 300 deer who live there as the annual rut gets underway. Listen out for the sounds of the stags roaring – it sounds almost like lions! Be sure to keep your distance and stay on the paths though, as you don’t want to be in the way when the bigger males clash antlers and start kicking in a bid to win the attention of the does.