The 9 best places for a picnic in the Yorkshire Dales

Here’s a list of nine places to visit in the Yorkshire Dales that are beautiful places to enjoy a picnic.

Fountains Abbey

Fountains Abbey is in Ripon and is a beautiful spot for a picnic.

The Abbey provides a stunning backdrop and is open for people to explore the ruins. It is one of the best preserved Cistercian monasteries in England.

The nearby Studley Royal Water Garden is also open for visitors to enjoy.

Fountains Abbey, Fountains, Ripon, HG4 3DY

Brimham Rocks

Brimham Rocks are in Summerbridge and offer a scenic picnic spot with amazing moorland views.

They are a collection of natural rock formations that were created by a river that ran through the area 100 million years ago.

Now, the rocks provide a stunning place to sit and enjoy the surrounding landscape.

Brimham Rocks, Brimham Moor Road, Summerbridge, Harrogatem HG3 4DW

Bolton Abbey

Bolton Abbey is in the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales in Skipton.

A stunning place to picnic, visitors could enjoy lunch on the nearby lawns or by the River Wharfe the Abbey sits alongside.

Bolton Abbey, Skipton, BD23 6AL

Malham Cove

Malham Cove, in Malhamdale, is a beautiful backdrop for any picnic.

The Cove was formed 12,000 years ago by a waterfall in the Ice Age and is now a spectacular curved limestone formation.

Malham Cove, Malham, Skipton, BD23 4DJ

Aysgarth Falls

Aysgarth Falls are a triple flight of waterfalls and offer a picturesque place to picnic.

There are grassy banks nearby to sit and woodland surrounding the river that visitors can explore.

The Falls were also featured in the movie Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, meaning visitors can picnic in a real life movie setting.

Aysgarth Falls National Park Centre, Church Bank, Aysgarth, Leyburn, DL8 3TH

Janet’s Foss

Janet’s Foss is a small waterfall near Malham and is a beautiful place to visit for a picnic.

The surrounding area offers routes and trails for peaceful walks and is easily accessible from the village of Malham.

The waterfall was traditionally used as a natural sheep dip by farmers which was a social event and enjoyed by many local spectators.

Janet’s Foss, Skipton, BD23 4DL

RHS Harlow Carr

RHS Harlow Carr sits just outside the Yorkshire Dales in Harrogate and is a stunning display of landscaped gardens.

There are open lawn areas for picnics so visitors can enjoy the surrounding flowers and wildlife while eating lunch.

RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate, HG3 1QB

Kettlewell

Kettlewell is a a village in Upper Wharfedale and offers a number of spots which are perfect for a picnic.

The village is a converging point for a number of hills and Dales and offers a stunning backdrop for a picnic.

Kettlewell, Skipton BD23 5QX

Parcevall Hall Gardens

Parcevall Hall Gardens are historic plantsmans gardens in Wharfedale, Yorkshire Dales National Park.

There are 24 acres of formal and woodland gardens for visitors to enjoy and picnic in.

The gardens were originally laid by Sir William Milner in 1927 onwards and contain plants from Western China and the Himalayas.

Parcevall Hall Gardens, Skyreholme, Skipton, BD23 6DE