Note – I first posted about Ripley Castle after a visit late last autumn.  This is an update to that earlier post, and also includes new information and photos from a recent visit in early June.

A visit to Ripley Castle, situated between Knaresborough and Ripon in North Yorkshire, is a treat at any time of year.  You can join a very interesting guided tour of the castle buildings (tours last about an hour – see Visitor Information for details and opening times).

Or you can just spend a couple of hours or more exploring the extensive gardens, woods, lake and parkland.   Entry to the gardens is free during winter months, and to RHS members on most days.

And what lovely gardens and grounds they are!  The notes and photos below are from our two recent visits, one in late autumn and one more recently in early summer.

The Walled Gardens

There is an old walled garden and a kitchen garden known for its collection of rare vegetables to explore.  In summer the walled garden is full of colourful flowers and a delight to stroll around.

The Glasshouse

The extensive glasshouse is almost 200 years old, and contains various palms, succulents and other unusual plants from around the world.

The Woods

The mixed woodland is a delight in any season.  There are shady paths, convenient benches, beautiful deciduous trees and some very impressive (though still relatively young) giant redwoods.

The Lake

Good paths lead to a lovely ornamental lake, with a bridge over a small waterfall.  There are great views over the lake from the bridge, which is frequently used by wildfowl.  The following photos are from our autumn visit.

Ancient Trees in the Deer Park

The highlight of our autumn visit was undoubtedly the walk around the spacious deer park, with its herd of fallow deer and many wonderful old trees.   The trees are beautiful at any time of year, but particularly resplendent in their autumn colours.

The ancient horse chestnut tree below has a fantastically gnarled trunk.

Some of the oak trees are thought to be 1000 years old.  Like the gnarled tree below with a convenient wooden seat for a picnic.

We walked round the entire park, and had sandwiches on the seat shown in the photo above, and only saw one other couple.  It was such a privilege to enjoy these wonderful trees with only the sounds of nature.

The Fallow Deer

During our recent summer visit we managed to get quite close to the resident fallow deer herd.  They are shy animals and we tried not to disturb them.

We have had two lovely visits to Ripley Castle, and will certainly visit again soon.  In fact I am already looking forward to seeing more summer flowers in the walled garden and checking out the rare vegetables!

A Few Practicalities

Ripley is situated close to Harrogate and Knaresborough, on the A61 towards Ripon.  It can be reached by a regular bus service which connects Leeds, Harrogate and Ripon.

There is a nice tearoom in the village opposite the entrance to the castle.  There is also the renowned Boar’s Head Inn which provides quality accommodation and excellent food.

There are a few small shops in the village, including a gallery and gift shop.

For information about disabled access see Visitor Information.

If you are a member of the Royal Horticultural Society, Ripley Castle is a partner garden and entry is free on most days.

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