Bolton Abbey

Wow - what an amazing estate to get out there and enjoy some fine British weather (i.e actual fine British weather of pure sun) Here's some points you need to know: *Massive sprawling estate where you can wander for hours - loads of countryside and trails *£8 per car for the car park - no real way to get out of this as everywhere around the park is car park/narrow roads *The Welly walk for kids is great - so many outdoor adventure things to do *BBQ area onsite, loads of picnic benches *Loads of places to eat and drink onsite - cafes etc *The historic ruins are pretty cool - awesome place!

Decided to walk from ilkley to Bolton abbey along the dales way. Really lovely walk, approximately 6 miles. Most of the walk is alongside the river. Clearly signposted and easy to follow. There are a couple of places where you have to walk on the roadside but these are very short. The scenery is really fabulous with great lush greenery and of course the river pretty much all the way. When you enter the estate and get the first glimpse of the stunning abbey it really is special. If like me you walked on one of the hottest days of the year (I know,silly)! The water is a delight to paddle in, or even a swim. Just a perfect day.

What a lovely place, very cheap for a great day out. The family had a fab day including the dog who loved swimming. Nice place we will definitely be going back. Don't forget to take picnic and drinks

I'm on a countryside loving tip now. I'm enjoying all the fresh air, even if it is still colder than an Eskimo on the rocks. So when it comes to resplendent scenery the Bolton Abbey area really has to be up there with the best in the country, let alone county. We're talking 30,000 acres of rolling greenery and over 80 miles of paths and walks. That should keep me busy for an hour or so then. It's part of the National Trust so if you are a member dig your badge out for a discount. You'll wander down some exceedingly steep steps into fields, woodlands and of course the Priory. This old ruin is still there to roam around and is hired out for weddings still to this day. You've also got the church next to it which is a stunning venue for any big day. The other highlight for me is the roaring River Wharfe. Is it quite a dramatic river and you can ramble alongside it for miles. There is also a quite superb area to camp out on when the sun is beating down and of course the renowned stepping stones across the river. This is excellent fun to hop across on but only if the river isn't too mutant and there are supervised adults around. Knowing me and my accident prone behaviour it is probably ill advised at any time. If you do see me washing away down stream then please feel free to wave. There are also picnic and barbeque areas, a lovely café and divine ice cream. You can walk off the calories and then put them straight back on again, perfect. All in all a first-rate day.

Amazing day out! I didn't realize that like Fountains Abbey, it isn't just the abbey, but a large estate great for walking, picnics, etc. We got a late start so we didn't get there until about 2 p.m., but if you want to explore the entire estate, you may want to set aside the entire day. The weather was so lovely that instead of sticking to the abbey, we decided to walk along some of the paths in the little booklet they provide. Along the path are some obstacles for children to try. There are also some scenic points where you can stop and rest or take pictures. As you walk along the path, you'll come across a pavilion where you can get a bite to eat or a bottle of water and you'll see the other car parks as well. Parking is £6 for the day and we think it is well worth it. The scenery is gorgeous and there is something for everyone. We only made it through about half of the walk (we took a detour to see the Valley of Desolation which cut into our walk), but we do plan to go again and finish the rest of the walk. If you enter the estate through the hole in the wall near the abbey, there is a gift shop and cafe there as well. On the day we went there were ice cream vans and lots of people swimming and wading in the water. The cows were also enjoying the cool water! And of course the stepping stones! They can get a bit crowded and sometimes there are those that decide to traverse the stones against the main flow of traffic. When wet, the stones are a bit slippery and on this warm day, many were choosing to cross barefoot. Not a bad idea if you were to lose your balance and fall into the water. For those of you that don't want to chance the stones, there is a bridge that you can use instead. It really is a wonderful day out, whether you just want a peaceful walk, some place to let the kids run, or even if you want to have a BBQ/Picnic with friends. I highly recommend it!

A fantastic day out for the family couples,groups or on your own. Plenty to see and do. Park you car in the local car park for £5 ,you can also then park at the Strid car park, and the Cavendish Pavillion (on the date stamped on the ticket.) The beautiful ruins and church look out over the River Wharfe, with its stepping stones, and wildlife. Sandy banks to the RIiver in some areas almost give it a seaside feel. You can walk from the Abbey right through to the Cavendishs Pavillion and then on to the Strid. The walk also has local artists sculptures dotted about which make for interesting viewing and great for the children to find. A wonderful place to visit in any weather. Also wheelchair access although can be a bit dicey on the hills in really wet weather. Lovely little village with Tea shops,gifts etc.

I completely agree with mumtothree - a fantastic day out. It's a bit of a trek from the car park to the actual abbey and the stepping stones (or perhaps that's just be being super lazy), but it's worth it. Lots of people take barbecues and picnics, and it's also dog-friendly too. I remember feeding the cows the last time I came here - they're very tame and used to people wandering about around the estate. The stepping stones are a bit scary if the river's full - I got halfway and had to turn back because I am a wuss.

This place is great the car park next to the abbey is 6 pounds this lets you into the site and allows adcess to the other car parks the gift shop has drinks here as well as some food items and small gifts the abbey ruins are very interesting and attached to a lovely church which is worth a look inside the gentle walk to the river has lovley views and a long stretch where you can go lie by the river and paddle and eat your icecream over the bridge there is a nice walk to the next car park which has the pavillion tea room and a nicer gift shop this car park is packed with people barbecuing picnicing and kayaking well worth a visit if you have a couple of hours spare

A great day out to be had by all. Some people just come to park their car in a beautiful place, sit by the river and have a picnic, which is fine but you'll miss so more. There a miles of well marked paths all over the estate, so just choose the distance you like and explore. Get up to the Strid if you can it's well worth a look. There's plenty of wildlife around if you looking and duck feeding opportunity for the kids. The abbey itself is alright, small walls mostly but okay. There's a cafe that is quite pricey in my opinion. The car park is quite pricey too but I think that's to get people to make use of public transport. Dog friendly.

This is a fantastic location, especially during the summer months when its good weather. The abbey ruins dont take long to see and you can do as much or as little as you want. Whether you want to explore and walk through the estate, or just have a picnic surrounded by nature and pretty scenery. Theres stepping stones accross the river as well as a bridge for the less adventurous. It can get rather busy on sunny days, but a beautiful place to visit.

I had a lovely time on my day out at Bolton Abbey, not even marred by the omnipresent stench of the wild garlic growing and flowering absolutely everywhere! The stepping stone bridge across the river looked like good fun but I bottled out: there had been heavy rains recently and the water was just that little bit too high! The fauna as well as the flora was worth a look: the cows on the riverbank had a good look at us too. (Not sure how well they took to us invading their 'manor'!) But the most memorable bit of the day was having a good look at the 'Strid' - the jump over the river which many have tried to leap across - and some have failed, falling to their deaths. Sobering! Don't try it!

Went the first time to Bolton Abbey on a Friday but it was unfortunately closed. We went again a bit later and took the dog. We had a lovely walk around the edge of the river and past the stepping stones, through the woodland. We then went back and stopped at the cafe which was very nice and we had a hot chocolate and piece of chocolate cake and sat outside. We then carried on walking past the Abbey and around the lakes, it was lovely and peaceful and I would go back again as soon as possible.

If you are ever travelling Skipton way be sure to head over to the Bolton Abbbey estate. The fabulous old Abbey ruins are amazing photo opportunities. The surrounding grounds are vast and run into a large wooded area that stretches to Grassington. in this wooded area is the well know Strid which is a churning whirlpool of water that has claimed a few lives, so don't think about trying to jump it! This is a great place to visit all the year round and the entrance to the wooded area has a great area for playing, we played boules last year in the rain. There is also a nice cafe!

A fantastic slice of natural beauty set in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales (itself an amazing place), the Bolton Abbey estate is a great place to visit if one is around the Skipton area. The main area of the estate is the village of Bolton Abbey, which is also where the abbey itself is located. It is very easy to spend a whole afternoon around the cafes and pleasant walks of Bolton Abbey village, and be sure to visit the Abbey itself.

It's just brilliant here, a whole day out. A great place for any sized walk, stepping stones over the river, the ruined abbey to look around, a very good cafe. My children just like sitting on the side of the river, throwing stones in, wading in their wellies, catching crayfish. We have even been rafting there - on the lower bit. It costs £5 to park your car for as long as you like.