Visiting Hackfall Woods with Kids
Mowbray Castle, one of the follies at Hackfall Woods
Have you ever been to Hackfall Woods?
This stunning Woodland Trust Grade I listed garden, has been on my list for such a long time, and I am so glad we finally made it!
Hackfall Wood is located in Grewelthorpe and is packed full of follies, wildflowers, ponds, water features and waterfalls! Tempted? You should be! But what do you need to know about visiting Hackfall Woods with the family?!
Let me tell you!
The higgledy piggledy steps heading up to Mowbray Castle, one of the follies of Hackfall Wood
What is a Folly?
Ok. There will be some people here who are like…. well DUH! But I genuinely don’t think I knew what a folly was until very recently, and so I am working on the assumption that actually maybe not everybody DOES know what a folly is!
And man, Follies are going to be mentioned QUITE a lot in this blog. So better start here right?
A folly is basically a building constructed to look like something it’s not. A lot of follies were intentionally designed to be ruins, (see our Yorke’s Folly walk for another example) some are reminiscent of a Roman Temple (Check out Fountains Abbey) some are extravagant and exotic, some are designed to look dilapidated, or mystically awe-inspiring (like the nearby Druids Altar, which has neither a real Druid or functioning Altar in sight!)
But essentially they are there to entertain, to be eye-catching and to be a conversation point.
They were also THE thing to build back in the 18th and 19th Centuries. I mean do you even OWN a woodland if you haven’t created an array of weird and wonderful buildings and features in it?!
The Fishers Hall at Hackfall Woods is a Grade II listed structure.
So why are there so many follies apparently plonked in the middle of Hackfall Wood?
Well. I shall tell you!
Back in the 18th Century, in 1731 to be precise, John Aislabie bought Hackfall for the princely sum of £906.
This dude was already pretty well known in the landscaping world, him being the mastermind behind the water gardens and follies of Fountains Abbey. So in terms of work experience, this guy was PRIMED for turning the woodland of Hackfall into a top visitor attraction (that was in fact frequented by the A list celebs of their era, the artist Turner and the poet Wordsworth).
The result is woodland that has been heavily influenced by the hand of man. He created waterfalls, ponds, the hand pump fountain underneath ‘The Ruin’, which coincidentally is now a holiday let of quirkiest variety!
He built grottos, and ruins, and was behind the Hackfall we see today, which has been restored to it’s former glory by the Hackfall Trust after it was left to ruin in the early 20th Century.
So there you go. That’s the ‘why’ bit behind Hackfall in a nutshell (pardon my massively sweeping generalisations…. and for more information head to the Hackfall website it’s basically been the source of all of my Googled historic knowledge!)
Now’s the time for the family friendly info!
The Alum Spring at Hackfall
What is there to do with kids at Hackfall Wood?
At the Car Park, you will find a map of the whole area, with three different trails. They all vary in difficulty, some are short, others longer.
We did the longest Explorer trail, (Red Route) which takes in all of the follies and features of Hackfall. This was around 4-5 miles in length and took us between 2-3 hours. There were some steep climbs and unguarded drops to watch out for, so in our opinion is best suited for older children.
There are also shorter routes around the woods:
The Riverside Rambler Route is 2.5 miles and 1.5 hours
The Cascades and Follies Route is 1.5 miles and 1 hour
A Glimpse of Hackfall Route is 0.75 miles and takes 30 minutes.
The trail maps are all available at the Hackfall Car Park, along with a nature explorer trail sheet designed for kids. The trails are all clearly signposted with the colour co-ordinated way markers.
A warning. The routes can get muddy, so wellies and walking boots are a must!
The rustic temple, another of the follies located next to the Fountain Pond.
What will I see at Hackfall Wood?
Ah go on then…. here’s a quick list of each of the follies and features that are to be seen at Hackfall Wood!
Limehouse Hill (Viewpoint)
Sandbed Hut (we passed this, but didn’t see much… later research has said that it has collapsed, and because there were no original photographs of it they have been unable to restore it, so it is now a wall. Here, you can get to the sandy bank of the River Ure)
Rustic Temple (Folly)
Fountain Pond (the hand pumped fountain still exists today, and you can have a go at making it work! We sadly failed, but I have since heard success stories, so it’s worth a go!)
The Ruin (this sits on the top of the gorge above the Fountain Pond, and is available for let as a holiday cottage by the Landmark Trust. You can’t go and see it unless you visit on a Monday or a Friday between certain hours, when they open the terrace to walkers. At other times, the path goes around the back of the property).
Forty Foot Fall (the waterfall of Hackfall Woods! During the height of its popularity, the waterfall would be supplemented by a reservoir at the top, which would enhance the falls and make them more dramatic)
Grotto (A grotto….. state the obvious!)
Fisher’s Hall (Folly)
Mowbray Castle (Folly, and our favourite one at that! This one, we think is worth a special trip to go and see!)
Alum Spring (Stepping Stones and waterfall, this was a close second to Mowbray Castle in our favourites list!)
Top Pond (err…… a pond….)
Lover’s Leap (Viewpoint)
The Fountain Pond with The Ruin perched above it
Quickfire Hackfall Facts:
Is Hackfall Woods free?
Parking and entrance is completely free as are the trail sheets. What a fabulous way to spend a family friendly free day out!
Is there a car park?
There is a small car park at Hackfall, which has enough room for around 20 or so cars. Our top tip? Get there early. The Car Park was full by the time we left at 1.30pm but had plenty of space at 10.30am. The location for the car park is What 3 Words rinse.plantings.transcribes.
Is Hackfall Woods dog friendly?
Yes! We saw plenty of pooches, enjoying the woodland!
Where is Hackfall Woods?
You’ll find the car park just outside Grewelthorpe in North Yorkshire, not too far from Ripon, and Masham.
Are there any toilet facilities at Hackfall Woods?
No.
Where can I grab a bite to eat?
Masham is close by and there is a pub in Grewelthorpe.
The view towards the River Ure at Hackfall Woods
So there you have it! Hackfall Woods in a nutshell!
We hope you have enjoyed your read and if we’ve inspired you, then enjoy!
If you pay a visit and share your experience on social media, we would love for you to tag @thereluctantexplorers in any of your Facebook or Instagram posts!
Want a walk that’s nearby?
Check out our Family Friendly walks around the Yorkshire Dales!