Here Comes the Sun

During the bank holiday Monday in the UK, we experienced something incredibly rare: good weather. I certainly wasn’t expecting anything too amazing, especially for the North – but it was actually sunny all day! I’m still in shock. As the weather was on our side, my friends and I decided to experience one of Yorkshire’s most beautiful National Trust parks and visited Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden in Ripon. It’s stunningly beautiful, especially with the sunlight highlighting the best of the nature.

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden is a park I’ve never visited before, but was excited to visit somewhere new, even if it meant walking for five hours. It was great to just spend time with friends, just hanging out for free. One of the best features of the park is not just the enormous lake and beautiful gardens, but the herds of deer that freely roam the area. I live in a quiet village so I’ve seen the occasional deer before, but usually just one and from the distance. In Ripon, I saw about thirty at once and there’s really nothing more exciting than seeing such remarkable animals in their natural habitat.

I don’t consider myself a big nature outdoor-sy person, I’m the first to run from the sight of a bee and cry if there’s a spider in my eyeline – but I really enjoyed the Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Gardens. From watching swans fly across the lake, to purchasing the best ice cream cone I’ve ever had, to walking through the river and trying not to fall; there’s something for everyone. People of all ages can walk around, and there’s dogs everywhere! The highlight of the day was definitely seeing deer close-up, as well as spending a great day in the sun.

What did you get up to over the bank holiday?