Day Trips from Bolton Abbey: The Best Nearby Attractions

If you are planning a stay in or around the Yorkshire Dales and are looking for things to do in Bolton Abbey, there are plenty of day trip ideas nearby. Caves, castles, gardens, heritage railways and outdoor adventures are all within easy reach, making Bolton Abbey an ideal base for exploring the wider region. Enjoy family days out and quiet walks around historic sites, with plenty more to plan your next trip. Prefer to stay closer to home? Discover the best Bolton Abbey walking trails for a great day out on the estate.

Things to Do A Short Drive from Bolton Abbey 

Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway – 5 minutes away

Within walking distance of The Devonshire Arms, the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is a heritage steam railway and a great experience for all ages. Step back in time in these restored carriages and take in the Yorkshire countryside as the nostalgic steam engine moves you through the valley.

Riding the train is perfect for families and railway enthusiasts, as is spotting the rising smoke of another moving train from a distance. Trains run on Sundays throughout the year, with extra mid‑week services in summer. Dogs are welcome on board.

Stump Cross Caverns – 20 minutes away

Stump Cross Caverns is an ancient limestone cave system formed over half a million years, with dramatic stalactite and stalagmite formations and a deep contrast to the open moorland above. Around 20 minutes from Bolton Abbey, it offers an intriguing look into the prehistoric landscape beneath the Dales.

Voted Small Visitor Attraction of the Year at the Visit York Tourism Awards, Stump Cross Caverns operates seasonal opening times (typically March to November), with ticketed entry, plenty of things to do, and an on‑site café. Please note that some areas are not suitable for pushchairs.

Gardens and Abbeys Within Easy Reach of Bolton Abbey

RHS Garden Harlow Carr – 30 minutes away

RHS Garden Harlow Carr, one of the RHS’s flagship gardens, is set on the edge of Harrogate and best known for its streamside garden, the longest planted streamside in the country. You can explore the 58 acres of garden, with prairie‑style borders, woodland paths, the Alpine House, and Bettys Café Tea Rooms, picking up gardening ideas and new techniques as you go.

Around 30 minutes from Bolton Abbey, it is open year‑round except Christmas Day, with free entry for RHS members, on‑site parking, and a 30% discount for car‑free visitors. Dogs are welcome on leads.

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal – 50 minutes away

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the vast ruins of one of England’s largest Cistercian monasteries meet an 18th‑century water garden and an extensive deer park. The scale is striking: vaulted stonework, long vistas, ornamental lakes, and over 300 deer moving through the parkland.

Fountains Abbey is around 40 minutes from Bolton Abbey. Managed by the National Trust, it is open year‑round, free for National Trust members, and has parking charges in place. Dogs on leads are welcome throughout.

Great Days Out from Bolton Abbey

Brontë Parsonage Museum – 25 minutes away

The Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth preserves the former home of Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë, three of the most famous English authors. The rooms, manuscripts and personal objects hold the history of where their novels were written, with the surrounding village and moorland add to the atmosphere.

A one hour stop covers the museum and exhibitions, or you can stay longer to explore the village, church, and local shops, or include a walk onto the same moors the Brontë sisters will have walked during their lifetimes. Around a 25 minutes drive from Bolton Abbey, the museum is open Wednesday to Monday, 10am to 5pm, with ticketed entry and village parking. Dogs are welcome on the moors above the parsonage.

The Forbidden Corner – 1 hour away

The Forbidden Corner is a four‑acre labyrinth garden in Tupgill Park, packed with tunnels, follies, odd sculptures and water features. It’s deliberately strange and unpredictable, which is why it’s fun for families. You can explore the garden and the many statues, sculptures, towers, and tunnels as you go, looking out for the revolving floor to the labyrinth, the 12-foot conifer dog’s head, and the 20-foot oak green man.

Visitors follow a checklist through the maze, with hidden plaques and surprises throughout, and there’s a café and gift shop. You can reach The Forbidden Corner around 1 hour from Bolton Abbey driving along scenic Dales roads. Advance booking is essential, with seasonal opening from April to October and ticketed entry. Please note it is not fully accessible for pushchairs or wheelchairs.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park  – 1 hour away

Yorkshire Sculpture Park is a 500‑acre open‑air gallery set in the Bretton Hall estate near Wakefield. Permanent works by Yorkshire’s Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth can be found here alongside leading international artists like Daniel Arsham, Jaume Plensa, Kimsooja, Niki de Saint Phalle and Robert Indiana, with major temporary exhibitions and indoor galleries.

With art scattered across the parkland, woods and lakes, it’s as enjoyable for its long walk as it is for its art. Around 1 hour from Bolton Abbey, with free entry to the grounds. Parking charges apply. There’s a café, restaurant and dogs are welcome outdoors.

Make Bolton Abbey Your Base  

Bolton Abbey Escapes gives you a straightforward base for exploring the Dales, with two hotels on the estate and three self‑catering cottages suited to larger groups. You’re close to all the above attractions, as well as some of the best walking routes and local villages. Looking to explore more of the region’s history? Discover the top historic houses to visit near Bolton Abbey for a cultural day out in Yorkshire.

Every stay also comes with access to the Bolton Abbey Estate, with free parking in each of the four estate car parks. See the full range of stays here.