Rievaulx Abbey Cistercian monastery: inner and outer precinct, water-management works, agricultural features, enclosures and ancillary buildings
✦ Ancient woodland40 ha
Plan your visit
🦅Birds🌳Ancient🧺Picnic
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome40 ha
Getting here
54.25730, -1.11871
Open directionsv
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🐦66+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Woodpigeon and Blackbird
- 🌳Ancient woodland is at its best in summer here
- ☕Rievaulx Abbey Cafe — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food
🌤️ Visiting this summer
- 🐦66+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Woodpigeon and Blackbird
- 🌳Ancient woodland is at its best in summer here
- ☕Rievaulx Abbey Cafe — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food
Best for
14 activities🦅Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Jackdaw +63 more · last seen 2025; Ancient woodland — owls, woodpeckers, warblers
🌳Ancient woodland
Very strong match
Ancient woodland — continuous woodland since before 1600
🧺Picnic day out
Very strong match
café, toilets, car park
💜Bluebell walks
Strong match
Ancient woodland — native bluebell habitat
Birds — Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Jackdaw +63 more · last seen 2025; Deciduous woodland priority habitat
Historic site with public access
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km5 signed routes nearby · 6 public paths nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Cleveland WayWalking route▾
Named routePoint-to-pointNational walking route
Ebor WayWalking route▾
Named routeRegional walking route
Tabular Hills WalkWalking route▾
Named routeRegional walking route
Three Feathers Walk (Kilburn)Walking route▾
Named routeRound tripLocal walking route
The Inn WayWalking route▾
Named routeRegional walking route
5 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
National Byway (Easingwold Loop)Cycling route▾
Named routeRef NBRegional cycle route
The White Rose - Moors VariantCycling route▾
Named routeRef 656National Cycle Network
Cocayne LoopCycling route▾
Named routeLocal cycle route
Main RouteCycling route5.9 km▾
Named routeRef 656Length 5.9 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt
Main RouteCycling route20.5 km▾
Named routeRef 656Length 20.5 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt
4 public paths nearby
Public paths
No named routes yet. Public paths are shown on the map.
About this historic site
Scheduled Monument
Photos
15 photos from nearby open sources
Cottages adjacent to Rievaulx Abbey
Photos
Cottages adjacent to Rievaulx Abbey
Facilities
☕Café
Rievaulx Abbey Cafe · 70m
✦ Ancient✓ Public accessFree entry🐶 Dogs
Good to know
- £Free to visit — no entry charge
- 🐕Dogs welcome
- 🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat
Weather for this location
Next 14 daysNearby places
Useful places within 5 km
Mnium hornum
Mnium hornum
Stone BrambleRubus saxatilisStone BrambleRubus saxatilisCommon ButterwortPinguicula vulgarisCommon ButterwortPinguicula vulgarisWall Screw-mossTortula muralisWall Screw-mossTortula muralisCommon PouchwortCalypogeia fissaCommon PouchwortCalypogeia fissaGrey-cushioned GrimmiaGrimmia pulvinataGrey-cushioned GrimmiaGrimmia pulvinataHard Shield-fernPolystichum aculeatumHard Shield-fernPolystichum aculeatumFox-tail Feather-mossThamnobryum alopecurumFox-tail Feather-mossThamnobryum alopecurumGreat Wood-rushLuzula sylvaticaGreat Wood-rushLuzula sylvaticaMarsh LousewortPedicularis palustrisMarsh LousewortPedicularis palustrisCommon TwaybladeNeottia ovataCommon TwaybladeNeottia ovataMarsh ValerianValeriana dioicaMarsh ValerianValeriana dioicaSilky Forklet-mossDicranella heteromallaSilky Forklet-mossDicranella heteromallaCommon SmoothcapAtrichum undulatumCommon SmoothcapAtrichum undulatumPlagiochila porelloidesPlagiochila porelloidesPlagiochila porelloidesPlagiochila porelloidesChalk Comb-mossCtenidium molluscumChalk Comb-mossCtenidium molluscumCreeping FingerwortLepidozia reptansCreeping FingerwortLepidozia reptansCommon PincushionDicranoweisia cirrataCommon PincushionDicranoweisia cirrataWall ScalewortPorella platyphyllaWall ScalewortPorella platyphyllaDwarf Swan-neck MossCampylopus pyriformisDwarf Swan-neck MossCampylopus pyriformisAnomalous Bristle-mossOrthotrichum anomalumAnomalous Bristle-mossOrthotrichum anomalumDog's MercuryMercurialis perennisDog's MercuryMercurialis perennisHart's-tongue Thyme-mossPlagiomnium undulatumHart's-tongue Thyme-mossPlagiomnium undulatumSilky Wall Feather-mossHomalothecium sericeumSilky Wall Feather-mossHomalothecium sericeumGreat Scented LiverwortConocephalum conicumGreat Scented LiverwortConocephalum conicumElegant Bristle-mossOrthotrichum pulchellumElegant Bristle-mossOrthotrichum pulchellumWild BasilClinopodium vulgare2024Wild BasilClinopodium vulgare2024Herb-ParisParis quadrifolia2024Herb-ParisParis quadrifolia2024Wood MelickMelica uniflora2024Wood MelickMelica uniflora2024BaneberryActaea spicata2023BaneberryActaea spicata2023Musk ThistleCarduus nutans2022Musk ThistleCarduus nutans2022Marsh HelleborineEpipactis palustrisMarsh HelleborineEpipactis palustrisBogbeanMenyanthes trifoliataBogbeanMenyanthes trifoliataThick-nerved Apple-mossPhilonotis calcareaThick-nerved Apple-mossPhilonotis calcareaRaspberryRubus idaeusRaspberryRubus idaeusTormentilPotentilla erectaTormentilPotentilla erectaBog StitchwortStellaria alsineBog StitchwortStellaria alsineRagged-RobinSilene flos-cuculiRagged-RobinSilene flos-cuculiBrooklimeVeronica beccabungaBrooklimeVeronica beccabungaYellow PimpernelLysimachia nemorumYellow PimpernelLysimachia nemorumBugleAjuga reptansBugleAjuga reptansWood SageTeucrium scorodoniaWood SageTeucrium scorodoniaCommon Extinguisher-mossEncalypta vulgarisCommon Extinguisher-mossEncalypta vulgarisReflexed StonecropPetrosedum rupestreReflexed StonecropPetrosedum rupestreCommon Feather-mossKindbergia praelongaCommon Feather-mossKindbergia praelongaDilated ScalewortFrullania dilatataDilated ScalewortFrullania dilatataCommon Tamarisk-mossThuidium tamariscinumCommon Tamarisk-mossThuidium tamariscinumBifid CrestwortLophocolea bidentataBifid CrestwortLophocolea bidentataBig Shaggy-mossHylocomiadelphus triquetrusBig Shaggy-mossHylocomiadelphus triquetrusMamillate Plait-mossHypnum andoiMamillate Plait-mossHypnum andoiIvyHedera helixIvyHedera helixHollyIlex aquifoliumHollyIlex aquifoliumCommon Striated Feather-mossEurhynchium striatumCommon Striated Feather-mossEurhynchium striatumWater FigwortScrophularia auriculataWater FigwortScrophularia auriculataBrackenPteridium aquilinumBrackenPteridium aquilinumWoodruffGalium odoratumWoodruffGalium odoratumSpurge-laurelDaphne laureolaSpurge-laurelDaphne laureolaHart's-TongueAsplenium scolopendriumHart's-TongueAsplenium scolopendriumOverleaf PelliaPellia epiphyllaOverleaf PelliaPellia epiphyllaWood Bristle-mossLewinskya affinisWood Bristle-mossLewinskya affinisSanicleSanicula europaeaSanicleSanicula europaeaBlack SpleenwortAsplenium adiantum-nigrumBlack SpleenwortAsplenium adiantum-nigrumWhite StonecropSedum albumWhite StonecropSedum albumLamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. argentatumLamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. argentatumLamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. argentatumLamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. argentatumHazelCorylus avellanaHazelCorylus avellanaSnowdropGalanthus nivalisSnowdropGalanthus nivalisDotted Thyme-mossRhizomnium punctatumDotted Thyme-mossRhizomnium punctatumMarsh ThistleCirsium palustreMarsh ThistleCirsium palustreCleaversGalium aparineCleaversGalium aparineDowny BirchBetula pubescensDowny BirchBetula pubescensConocephalum salebrosumConocephalum salebrosumConocephalum salebrosumConocephalum salebrosumWhite EarwortDiplophyllum albicansWhite EarwortDiplophyllum albicansMusk-mallowMalva moschata2024Musk-mallowMalva moschata2024GooseberryRibes uva-crispa2024GooseberryRibes uva-crispa2024Field Wood-rushLuzula campestris2024Field Wood-rushLuzula campestris2024Common Dog-violetViola riviniana2024Common Dog-violetViola riviniana2024Sweet CicelyMyrrhis odorata2024Sweet CicelyMyrrhis odorata2024Common NettleUrtica dioica2024Common NettleUrtica dioica2024Water AvensGeum rivale2024Water AvensGeum rivale2024Garden StrawberryFragaria ananassa2024Garden StrawberryFragaria ananassa2024HogweedHeracleum sphondylium2024HogweedHeracleum sphondylium2024Wild AngelicaAngelica sylvestris2024Wild AngelicaAngelica sylvestris2024PrimrosePrimula vulgaris2024PrimrosePrimula vulgaris2024Greater StitchwortStellaria holostea2024Greater StitchwortStellaria holostea2024Wood AnemoneAnemone nemorosa2024Wood AnemoneAnemone nemorosa2024Shining Crane's-billGeranium lucidum2023Shining Crane's-billGeranium lucidum2023Woolly ThistleCirsium eriophorum2023Woolly ThistleCirsium eriophorum2023Black BryonyTamus communis2023Black BryonyTamus communis2023Black Bog-rushSchoenus nigricans2023Black Bog-rushSchoenus nigricans2023Bitter-vetchLathyrus linifolius2023Bitter-vetchLathyrus linifolius2023Mountain CurrantRibes alpinum2023Mountain CurrantRibes alpinum2023Lily-of-the-valleyConvallaria majalis2023Lily-of-the-valleyConvallaria majalis2023ToothwortLathraea squamaria2023ToothwortLathraea squamaria2023False OxlipPrimula veris x vulgaris = P. x polyantha2023False OxlipPrimula veris x vulgaris = P. x polyantha2023Heath-grassDanthonia decumbens2022Heath-grassDanthonia decumbens2022Crested Hair-grassKoeleria macrantha2022Crested Hair-grassKoeleria macrantha2022Pepper-saxifrageSilaum silaus2021Pepper-saxifrageSilaum silaus2021Grass-of-ParnassusParnassia palustris2021Grass-of-ParnassusParnassia palustris2021Small ScabiousScabiosa columbaria2021Small ScabiousScabiosa columbaria2021HarebellCampanula rotundifolia2021HarebellCampanula rotundifolia2021Events & activities nearby
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