Ripley in North Yorkshire is a quintessentially British village, with gorgeous sandstone cottages, a famous ice cream shop, and of course a local pub. But what sets it apart is the incredibly picturesque Ripley Castle.
It has now been over a year since we moved to Harrogate in North Yorkshire. And I am ashamed to admit that we visited Ripley Castle for the first time last weekend. Especially since this delightful country estate has now become one of my favorite things to do near Harrogate on a day out with our newborn son.
My husband’s parents came down to see their grandson and were blessed with a beautiful sunny Saturday. The perfect occasion to go and see this little gem of a castle in Yorkshire.
WHERE IS RIPLEY CASTLE LOCATED?
Ripley is located approximately 3 miles north of Harrogate, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
It takes about 15 minutes by car to get there from Harrogate town centre, or just under an hour from Leeds and York
It is also possible to walk to Ripley Castle from Harrogate, as it is located on the 53-mile-long circular Nidderdale Way walking trail. In fact, it is often a preferred starting point for this famous hike through the Nidderdale valley which passes by some of Yorkshire’s best beauty spots such as Brimham Rocks. When we first moved to Harrogate, Gary and I did walk to the village of Ripley from our house and it took us around an hour and a half.
Because Ripley doesn’t have a train station, it isn’t easy to access if you don’t have a car or don’t live in a walkable distance from it. I would therefore recommend that you include Ripley Castle on your itinerary if you are having a long weekend stay in Yorkshire.
Some parking is available in and around the castle and opposite the church. But your best bet, if you make your way to Ripon by car, is to leave your vehicle in the large car park on the left-hand side as you approach the village centre.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF RIPLEY CASTLE AND RIPLEY VILLAGE
The name Ripley Castle is somewhat deceiving since the Grade 1 listed structure is in fact a 14th-century country manor.
Ripley Castle was built over 700 years ago by the Ingilby baronets. The castle is still privately owned by the same family, who live in part of this stately home. This is quite impressive if you consider all the political, military, religious and social upheavals that have happened since then. In fact, they are one of the ten oldest families in the country to still occupy the same residence
The castle gatehouse dates back to the 15th century and a tower was added to the manor in the 16th century.
In the 18th century, Sir John undertook a large-scale remodel of the stately home, which landed him in a lot of debt, whereupon he fled the country.
His incredibly eccentric son inherited the estate. He decided to demolish the village of Ripley as it stood in the 19th century and to remodel to look like an Alsatian village, a part of the world he had fallen in love with. It is, therefore, the only village in Britain to have a ‘Hotel de Ville’ instead of a Town Hall!
THINGS TO DO AT RIPLEY CASTLE ESTATE
TAKE A TOUR OF THE MANOR HOUSE
As you step through the ornate entrance gate into the courtyard of the estate, you are immediately greeted by the impressive stone structure of the stately home known as Ripley Castle. You might even catch a glimpse of the expansive lawned grounds and the private lake in the background.
Up until recently, it has been possible for the public to take a guided tour of Ripley castle at selected times on specific dates. Hopefully, these tours will resume once the covid virus has stopped sweeping our country and it becomes safe to do so again.
You can expect the guided tour of the castle to last for around 45 minutes. Be warned that tours of Ripley Castle are very popular and your group could consist of around 30 individuals.
Your knowledgeable tour guide will lead you through the formal rooms of the country home. Along the way, you will be educated on the history of the castle and its family, especially its more colourful ancestors. You will learn about the kings and queens that stayed for a night, the numerous clandestine affairs that happened inside these ancient walls, the civil wars and plagues that this Yorkshire castle survived, the secret behind the Knight’s chamber paneling and how Oliver Cromwell was held at gunpoint in the library by an Ingilby daughter. Your tour guide will also go into detail about the village and how it was built.
Look out for tutor medicine box, especially appreciated by kids, the 17th-century show and the numerous weapons used during the civil war. And be sure to take a good look at the stained-glass window which shows the family crests. It was pieced back together after it had been damaged in a storm.
WALK AROULD RIPLEY CASTLE’S GARDENS
The main reason to visit Ripley Castle estate, however (at least for us) is to enjoy one of the most photogenic gardens in Harrogate. After all, what would a castle in Yorkshire be without its grounds?
We spent a good few hours exploring Ripley’s formal gardens and wandering down the many paths around the lake.
THE FORMAL WALLED GARDENS
We started our tour of this Yorkshire garden in the old walled garden, which was a real delight to stroll around.
The rectangular enclosure is bordered by one of Britain’s largest herbaceous beds. Because of its sheer size, it is filled with colourful plants in every season. Ancient wisteria and clematis cling to the south-facing stone walls. The star of the show however is the National Collection of Hyacinths, so make sure to visit the grounds of Ripley Castle in spring.
At the centre of the walled garden, you will find a large formal lawn, interspersed with lawns. Turn to your right to stroll through the kitchen garden and orchard. Or turn left to visit the orangery and hothouses.
THE WALLED KITCHEN GARDENS AND ORCHARD
I love a well-arranged kitchen garden. In fact, I secretly wish I had one myself.
The walled kitchen garden on Ripley Castle’s estate dates back to 1817 and is pretty impressive. It is known for its collection of rare vegetables which have been grown in cooperation with the Henry Doubleday Research Association.
The herb bed contains both culinary and medicinal plants that have all been beautifully labeled with old stone signs.
We walked through the rose and espalier arches, then entered into the orchard. Here we found a wildflower meadow maze – perfect fo{“type”:”block”,”srcClientIds”:[“aa8f7c59-7342-4423-9509-fea42f1b516a”],”srcRootClientId”:””}r little ones – and two beehives. Gary’s mum had fun sitting in the oversized garden chair, pretending she had shrunk like Alice in wonderland.
THE TROPICAL GLASS HOUSES
Next, we walked back through the formal gardens towards the 200-year-old glasshouses.
Unfortunately, the hothouses are currently closed due to the covid 19 pandemic.
This is a great shame since tropical houses are one of Gary’s favourite places to visit and the ones at Ripley Castle contain a great selection of tropical, palms, ferns, succulents, and cacti. I have been told that all the tropical plants are clearly labeled for identification.
THE WOODLANDS
We then headed onwards through the hothouse and into the woodland.
We followed the shaded path past some beautiful deciduous trees and some very impressive if still relatively young giant redwood cedar trees. This was the first time Gary and his parents had come across these, so I excitedly told him about the ones I had seen in California when I was a teenager.
If you visit Ripley Castle at the right time of year, you will find the woodland covered in spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils, narcissi, snowdrops, aconites, and bluebells.
The path is on a shallow incline and leads to a beautiful pillared folly. A folly is a building constructed primarily as a decoration and often serves as a point of focus in a larger landscape. They first became popular in the 18th century and often simulated Greek and Roman temples.
The woodlands also disguise Ripley’s Outdoor Activity centre. It’s a great place for older kids to release their energy. There are several children’s play areas. One features a High Rope course with a variety of high and low challenges, another one specialises in target-based activities such as archery and axe throwing, and then there is the 35ft Leap of Faith activity for those with a real head for heights.
THE PLEASURE GARDEN AND DEER PARK
We emerged from the woodlands and took a jaunt around Ripley Castle’s pleasure Garden and Deer Park. Honestly, no visit to Ripley Castle would be quite complete without a stroll around the ornamental lake. The pleasure grounds date back to the late 18th century and their design is based on the concepts of the famous Capability Brown.
Some of the best views of the castle can be gained from here. The lakeside walk takes about 30 minutes to complete and there is plenty of wildlife to encounter on the way from rabbits, mallards, and squirrels to herons, Canada geese, pheasants, woodpeckers, and if you are lucky a kingfisher.
Our walk took us around the lake, across the waterfall, and into the deer park itself.
The deer park features vast stretches of grassland so it did get windy, but we sought shelter under the thousand-year-old oak trees to breastfeed my son. I gazed with awe at the impressive girth of their trunks and the gnarled branches swaying in the wind.
We did end up finding the fallow deer, just past the fallen tree, and to my surprise, they were almost white in appearance. They are very shy creatures, galloping away each time we approached them, so it was pretty much impossible to get a good picture of them.
Finally, we crossed another damn and found ourselves back on the castle terrace.
HAVE AFTERNOON TEA IN THE RIPLEY CASTLE TEAROOM
Before leaving Ripley castle altogether, I would suggest you visit the castle tearooms. Here you will find a good selection of scones, cakes, and cooked dishes. There are plenty of tables outside and we saw quite a few people sitting here enjoying the warm sunny weather.
BUY A SOUVENIR IN THE CASTLE GIFT SHOP
The gift shop is located across from the castle tearooms. My husband loves a good gift shop and we end up buying a magnet for our fridge more often than not. The shop is also perfect for finding little gifts and unique cards. I personally love stocking up on these when I get a chance.
IS RIPLEY CASTLE SAFE TO VISIT DURING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC?
Your day out at Ripley Castle will mainly be spent outside walking around the grounds, which are expansive. So, visiting Ripley Castle is fairly safe during the covid19 pandemic.
The only time we had a little bit of an issue was when we were walking around the kitchen gardens. The path is so narrow, that our pram pretty much filled its entire width. A one-way system would be useful in this area of the garden but hasn’t been implemented as of yet. So, we did run into another family that was walking around the kitchen garden in the opposite direction to us. We simply backtracked a little bit and turned on to another path, to let them past.
Tours of the caste itself have currently been put on hold. Furthermore, the attraction isn’t yet running at full capacity, so you need to book a slot for your arrival, after which you can stay as long as you wish. Note that Ripley Castle is a popular place to visit among locals, as well as tourists, so book your spot well in advance.
In line with government advice, you will need to wear a mask in order to enter the shop or tea rooms.
IS ENTRY TO RIPLEY CASTLE FREE?
Simply put, no it isn’t. Entry to Ripley Castle currently costs 7£ for adults. Ripley Castle is privately owned and does not belong to the National Trust. Yorkshire residents, however, might own an RHS membership card, in which case entry is reduced to 5£.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO VISIT RIPLEY CASTLE WITH KIDS?
Ripley Castle is a great place to take your kids, especially once they are a little older.
When we visited for the first time, our son was only a few months old. We managed to get about with our pram (an Uppababy Vista) fairly easily. I even managed to push it across the deer park. However, if your pram is more of a city pram than an all-terrain one, you could always strap your little one in a baby carrier. Unfortunately, there aren’t that many benches on the grounds. I, therefore, ended up feeding my son, sitting in the grass, which was perfectly fine in summer. The castle does have baby changing facilities in the accessible toilets, near the castle entrance. Although, if you are planning a longer stroll, you might need to change your baby’s nappies out in the open, something we personally don’t have any issue with.
The pleasure grounds and deer park are great places for kids to run wild. The vast expanse of grass means that you won’t lose sight of your children all too easily. And there are several playgrounds on the castle grounds where your offspring can release their pent-up energy.
Ripley Castle is also one of the three locations that host Live for today. Live for Today offer a whole array of fantastic outdoor activities for grown-ups and children alike that are perfect for a birthday party or keeping your kids occupied during the school holidays.
ARE DOGS ALLOWED AT RIPLEY CASTLE?
Sadly, dogs are currently not allowed in the castle or grounds, but you can still get a great view of the Castle from the public path that runs down Hollybank Lane and then along the castle walls. From here you can walk all the way to Bedlam, Clint Bank, Hampswaite, and Burt Yates.
