← Back✦ Historic site

Bolton Priory

✦ Ancient woodland10 ha

📷 Peter Barr · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsPicnicAncient

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome10 ha

Getting here

53.98230, -1.88999

Open directionsv

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

▾

🐦79+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Grey Heron and Black-headed Gull
🧺Good picnic destination in summer — open space and facilities for a relaxed day out
☕Café on site — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦79+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Grey Heron and Black-headed Gull
🧺Good picnic destination in summer — open space and facilities for a relaxed day out
☕Café on site — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

Best for

14 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Free

Birds — Grey Heron, Black-headed Gull, Mallard +76 more · last seen 2026; Ancient woodland — owls, woodpeckers, warblers

Picnic day out

Very strong match

Free

picnic area, café, toilets, car park

Ancient woodland

Very strong match

Free

Ancient woodland — continuous woodland since before 1600

Wildlife

Strong match

Free

Birds — Grey Heron, Black-headed Gull, Mallard +76 more · last seen 2026; Ancient woodland

Bluebell walks

Strong match

Free

Ancient woodland — native bluebell habitat

Family friendly

Strong match

Free

café, toilets, picnic area

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

▾

6 signed routes nearby · 6 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

Dales WayWalking route129 km▾

Named routeLength 129 kmRegional walking route

Bradford Millennium WayWalking route▾

Named routeLocal walking route

Strid Wood Natural Trail - Red TrailWalking route▾

Named route

Dales High WayWalking route145 km▾

Runs from Saltaire (West Yorkshire) to Appleby-in-Westmorland (Cumbria) roughly following route of Settle and Carlisle railway

Named routeLength 145 kmPoint-to-pointRegional walking route

Dales Way - Harrogate Link PathWalking route▾

Named routeLocal walking route

🚴

Cycling

▾

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Yorkshire Dales CyclewayCycling route▾

Named routeRef YDCRegional cycle route

🐴

Horse riding

▾

13 public paths nearby

Public paths

Priory Trail (Dales Way)bridleway · 98 m▾

Public pathbridlewayLength 98 mSurface fine_gravelPath type: bridleway

Waterfall Bridgebridleway · 55 m▾

Public pathbridlewayLength 55 mSurface woodPath type: bridleway

Priory Trail (Dales Way)bridleway · 33 m▾

Public pathbridlewayLength 33 mSurface fine_gravelPath type: bridleway

About this historic site

Scheduled Monument

Wildlife to spot

15,260 records from NBN Atlas

▾

Wildlife to spot

15,260 records · NBN Atlas

🐦

Birds79 species

spring

2026

Grey Heron · Black-headed Gull · Mallard · Jackdaw · Robin

+74 more species

All 79 birds recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Great TitParus major2025
Mandarin DuckAix galericulata2025
DipperCinclus cinclus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
NuthatchSitta europaea
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
SwiftApus apus2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
Garden WarblerSylvia borin2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Red Grouse (scotica)Lagopus scotica2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
TealAnas crecca2025
RedshankTringa totanus2025
CuckooCuculus canorus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Apus apus apusApus apus apus2025

🦌

Mammals3 species

summer

2025

Roe Deer · Field Vole · Wood Mouse

🐝

Insects24 species

summer

2025

Syritta pipiens · Cheilosia illustrata · Syrphus ribesii · Cheilosia bergenstammi · Field Digger Wasp

+19 more species

All 24 insects recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Syritta pipiensSyritta pipiens
Cheilosia illustrataCheilosia illustrata
Syrphus ribesiiSyrphus ribesii
Cheilosia bergenstammiCheilosia bergenstammi
Field Digger WaspMellinus arvensis
Platycheirus granditarsusPlatycheirus granditarsus

🌿

Plants9 species

winter

2026

Great Scented Liverwort · Fox-tail Feather-moss · Frizzled Pincushion · Blunt Feather-moss · Silky Wall Feather-moss

+4 more species

All 9 plants recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Great Scented LiverwortConocephalum conicum
Fox-tail Feather-mossThamnobryum alopecurum
Frizzled PincushionPlenogemma phyllantha
Blunt Feather-mossHomalia trichomanoides
Silky Wall Feather-mossHomalothecium sericeum
Lateral CryphaeaCryphaea heteromalla

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

15,260 records · NBN Atlas

🐦

Birds79 species

spring

2026

Grey Heron · Black-headed Gull · Mallard · Jackdaw · Robin

+74 more species

All 79 birds recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Great TitParus major2025
Mandarin DuckAix galericulata2025
DipperCinclus cinclus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
NuthatchSitta europaea
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Pied FlycatcherFicedula hypoleuca2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
SwiftApus apus2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
Garden WarblerSylvia borin2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Red Grouse (scotica)Lagopus scotica2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
TealAnas crecca2025
RedshankTringa totanus2025
CuckooCuculus canorus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Apus apus apusApus apus apus2025

🦌

Mammals3 species

summer

2025

Roe Deer · Field Vole · Wood Mouse

🐝

Insects24 species

summer

2025

Syritta pipiens · Cheilosia illustrata · Syrphus ribesii · Cheilosia bergenstammi · Field Digger Wasp

+19 more species

All 24 insects recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Syritta pipiensSyritta pipiens
Cheilosia illustrataCheilosia illustrata
Syrphus ribesiiSyrphus ribesii
Cheilosia bergenstammiCheilosia bergenstammi
Field Digger WaspMellinus arvensis
Platycheirus granditarsusPlatycheirus granditarsus

🌿

Plants9 species

winter

2026

Great Scented Liverwort · Fox-tail Feather-moss · Frizzled Pincushion · Blunt Feather-moss · Silky Wall Feather-moss

+4 more species

All 9 plants recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Great Scented LiverwortConocephalum conicum
Fox-tail Feather-mossThamnobryum alopecurum
Frizzled PincushionPlenogemma phyllantha
Blunt Feather-mossHomalia trichomanoides
Silky Wall Feather-mossHomalothecium sericeum
Lateral CryphaeaCryphaea heteromalla

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

15 photos from nearby open sources

▾

📷 Peter Barr · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Bolton Priory

1 / 15

Photos

📷 Peter Barr · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Bolton Priory

1 / 15

Events & activities nearby

Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.

Bookable tours

Facilities

☕

Café

1 nearby · 162m

🅿️

Parking

Bolton Abbey Car Park · Paid · 261m

🧺

Picnic spot

214m away

🚻

Toilets

2 · 120m away

✦ 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 days

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱St Mary and St Cuthbert's ChurchUrban park100 m→🌱Low Bridge FieldUrban park1 km→🌱Cavendish PavilionUrban park1 km→🐄Hesketh Farm ParkVisitor farm1.4 km→✦Skibeden BrowHistoric site4.8 km→✦icehouseHistoric site200 m→