National Trust - Rievaulx Terrace — Attraction in England

Beautiful views across to the Abbey from the terrace. Nice spot for a picnic either at the tables in the wooded walk, or on a blanket on the grassy terrace. There's a one mile circular walk from the visitor's centre, taking in the new follies. Great exhibition about the history of the second folly (nearest the visitor centre). The first folly isn't open to the public due to the age of the floor (800 years!) due is still worth a look through the windows at the amazing floor and ceiling (there's also so really old graffiti carved into the stones of the walls). For the kids there's several woodland playthings, including a wooden steppingstones course, a tree trail to follow through the woods (ask for paper and a crayon to do rubbings in the visitor centre). There's also a massive chessboard and pieces, a jumbo Jenga and quoits all in the woods. A lovely place to spend a morning or...

Wonderful 18th century landscaped garden. The garden is essentially a parterre on the top on the top of a hill. The garden is bordered with wildflowers and trees which are festooned with butterflies, but the garden itself is simply a lawn. What makes this site so impressive is the presence of two so called temples. I say so called as the temples are copies of ancient styles, one an oblong building that would be common to Greece or Rome and one a copy of a tholos. Both are stunning on a sunny day surrounded as they are by magnificent landscapes. A particular attraction are the cuts through the forest that provide viewing avenues down to Rievaulx Abbey, far below in the valley. A truly superb place, but be warned there is no cover if the weather...

Yesterday I fulfilled a 40-year ambition to some day visit Rievaulx Terrace and it did not disappointment. Maybe the glorgious weather had something to do with it, but from arrival until departure it just got better and better as I walked around. I deliberately stayed away from the terrace 'edge' until I'd reached the round temple structure, and boy the view did not disappoint! I love the way that 'windows' in the trees have been created to allow 'framed' pictures of the ruined abbey below, and the lovingly manicured lawn of the terrace itself. The winding path through the woodland was a delight, with plenty of benches (there and on the terrace itself) to sit and rest awhile. The permanent exhibition about the terrace was...