Studley Royal Deer Park

Studley Royal Deer Park

Route Information

Park at the National Trust visitor Centre, off the Studley Road between Ripon and Pateley Bridge. There are super facilities here: a cafe, toilets, exhibition and shop.

Stats:  3.4 miles

OS map: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/9468882/Studley-Royal

Refreshments

Once the family have had a good cycle, share a bite to eat at the cafe and then take a walk into Fountains Abbey and the Water Garden. Ripon has a good bike shop, Moonglu on Blossomgate.

Character

Here’s one for the younger members of the family; an easy ride from the Fountain’s Abbey visitor’s centre, through the deer park and back again for Brymor ice cream – the best anywhere. If they are feeling more adventurous, then it can be extended.

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Route

1. Head out of the car park, crossing the access road and cycling along the bridleway / path signed for St. Mary’s church. It drops and twists initially, giving the kids a bit of fun to start the ride with.

2. Follow this safe and easy track all the way to the gate on the right, which leads into the deer park. Once through the gate, the church is on the left, whilst to the right, a path drops down across a meadow steeply before evening out. This is followed downhill to the deer park car park area (toilets here).

3. At the car park, take the access road uphill to the junction, and turn right, then almost immediately left, onto a small access road. This is followed for a short distance until a small bridge is seen down on the right by trees. Follow the path down and across the bridge, turning immediately right once over the bridge and taking a gentle and short climb.

4. As the climb eases of a junction of paths is met. Go straight down and through the trees at speed, as the path dips and turns to the right before falling down to the main access road by the deer park gate.

5. Take the access road back up through the deer park, all the way to the small gate that you entered through earlier. Turn left once through the gate and head back to the car park and ice cream.