School Holidays Ripon and Nidderdale

Mother Shipton’s Christmas Experience 2023

Step into a world of magic and wonder as you enter Mother Shipton’s magical Christmas experience. Get ready, for Santa is flying through the starry skies to meet you!

🎅🏽 Enjoy a personal family visit with Santa in his cosy Christmas grotto and receive a special soft toy gift from Santa.

🛷 Pose for a photo inside Santa’s magic sleigh, before he journeys through snow-covered lands and starlit skies on Christmas Eve night.

📖 Gather around Holly Berry, the enchanting storyteller, as she weaves tales of wonder and merriment. Settle upon the reindeer chairs nestled within her charming tipi, adorned with lights that shimmer like angel wings.

🦌 Create your very own bag of reindeer food, a magical blend that you’ll sprinkle outside on Christmas Eve to guide Santa’s reindeer to your home.

📮 In the heart of this mystical place, find the Snowy Owl Post Office and send your heartfelt wishes to Santa himself. Stamp, seal, and imagine your letter soaring through the night sky.

🎄 Hang your handwritten wish upon the Christmas tree, its branches carrying the hopes and dreams of all who visit.

☕️ Warm up with a deluxe hot chocolate as you snuggle in cozy log gazebos, surrounded by the soft glow of fairy lights.

✨ Let the magic of the Christmas Shop enchant you, a treasure trove of wonder where you can find the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one.

🔮 Venture into the depths of the woodland and discover the cave, the legendary Petrifying Well, and the Wishing Well. Close your eyes, make a wish, and let your heart dance with the possibilities of the season.

🎅🏻 Father Christmas
November 25/26
December 2/3/9/10/16/20/21/22/23/24

🎅🏻 Times are 10.30am till 3.30pm

🦖🦌🎄 An immersive Santa and Cavewoman experience, creating incredible memories & excitement for every family this Christmas. Lots of options to choose from on the link below👇👇

1. 🎅🏻 Christmas Full Day Package
2. 🎅🏻Santas Grotto and Cave Package
3. 🎅🏻Christmas Film
4. 🎅🏻Santas Grotto
5. 🎅🏻SEN Grottos available

🎄🎅🏻🦖 Enjoy a Festive Family Discovery Day….making lifetime memories ❤️

 🎅🏻 Santa will welcome you to his fantastic Festive Grotto in our cosy Cinema and all children will receive a special wrapped gift from Santa, you are very welcome to take your own photographs so you can capture those special family memories. Adults accompanying children are welcome free of charge 🎅🏻

As twilight falls see the abbey aglow with all the colours of the rainbow from 2pm – 5pm every Saturday and Sunday between 25 November – 31 December (excluding 3 and 10 December).

Once you’ve finished the Christmas shopping, explored the family trail and been revived by a warming mug of hot chocolate, it’s time for Music and Lights. Walk beneath the abbey cellarium’s vaulted ceilings, under the grand columns of the nave and stop to watch the live choirs and bands fill the ruins with festive music. Join in if you know the tune! Bands and choirs will play in the cellarium from 2-3pm. Last admission is at 4pm and the estate will close at 5pm as usual. You don’t need to book a ticket to visit as Music and Lights is part of normal admission.

Everyone is welcome to join the Carols by Candle services in the Cellarium on Sunday 3 and Sunday 10 December from 3pm – 4pm

Pick up a candle on your way in and see the flickering glow of hundreds of candles light up the abbey cellarium. Sing along to well know carols accompanied by Ripon City Band. Pre-booking will be essential, visit the website to find out more.

Come along to our On the Hoof event on Saturday 2, Saturday 9 and Saturday 22 December from 11:30am-12:20pm. Watch the wild deer munching through their winter feed and chat to our rangers who’ll be on hand to answer your questions.

As always, there’s plenty of things to discover here at Fountains Abbey – why not try a walk on the high-ride to find some of the best views. Dash through the deep-dark serpentine tunnel and whiz along the zip-line in the adventure playground.

The highly-anticipated Harrogate Ice Rink returns to Crescent Gardens for the second year in a row; running alongside the Harrogate Christmas Fayre from 1st December and remaining open until 7th January 2024.

This festive favourite will be bigger and better than ever before, hosting not only a bigger ice rink, but an outdoor bar, a cosy sheltered tipi, funfair rides including a carousel and bungee trampolines, and a Yorkshire Wrap food stall – vegetarian and vegan options available.

Immerse yourself in the magic of Christmas with this family-friendly and affordable attraction coming to the centre of Harrogate from December to January.

Harrogate Ice Rink is open from 11am every day until 19:30 on weekdays and 20:45 on weekends. You can book a one-hour session for a reduced price of £10 per ticket (plus booking fee) this year, and each ticket purchased will also grant 50% off any hot drink at the bar on site; including mulled wine and hot chocolate.

Adults and children aged 4+ are welcome at Harrogate Ice Rink. Free skate hire is available on site and there are skate aids available on a first come first served basis, these are available for £5 per user.

During your visit to Crescent Gardens, be sure to visit the Harrogate Christmas Fayre, ride on the Candy Cane Express road train, or experience the open top bus, which stops at the Ice Rink too!

For  20% discount code for Mumblers use discount code: mumbler20

More details about session times, bar opening hours, and terms and conditions can be found online

Wed 22 Nov 2023 – Sun 14 Jan 2024

19th November 2022- 3rd January 2023