Hidden Yorkshire: 10 Things To Do At Hackfall Woods

Last Updated on 12/03/2023

Hackfall Woods in North Yorkshire is a real Yorkshire hidden gem. This picturesque woodland is more than first meets the eye. Littered with secret waterfalls and hidden follies, here is a guide to the top ten things to do at Hackfall Woods.

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What is Hackfall Woods?

Hackfall is a woodland Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It was significantly landscaped during the 17th century and described as “one of the most beautiful woods in the country.” For a period of time, it was left unattended and was a victim of vandalism until it was purchased by the Woodland Trust in 1989.

Since the purchase, Woodland Trust in partnership with Hackfall Trust and the Landmark Trust have been working hard to restore Hackfall to its former glory. They have had help from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, who donated almost £1million for restoration work in 2007.

Today, Hackfall Woods is once again a stunning destination, eagerly welcoming visitors and it has a fair few surprises in store!

Where is Hackfall Woods?

Hackfall Woods is in North Yorkshire, just north of the village of Grewelthorpe. It is located seven miles, or a short 15 minute drive from the city of Ripon.

Who Designed Hackfall Woods?

Hackfall Woods was originally landscaped by William Aislabie during the 1700s. He inherited the land from his father, John Aislabie, who bought it in 1731. John Aislabie was responsible for the formal-style landscaping of nearby Studley Royal and Fountains Abbey.

How Long is a Hackfall Woods Walk?

Depending on how how much time you want to spend exploring, there are a number of different Hackfall Woods circular walks recommended. You can see a slice of Hackfall in just 30 minutes, or you can take it all in in approximately 3 hours.

Hackfall Woods Circular Walks

When you arrive at Hackfall Woods, make sure you pick up a leaflet from the clear plastic container on the fence near the car park. This flyer outlines four different circular walks so that you can navigate the park and find all of the wonderful hidden gems.

The walks include:

• A Glimpse of Hackfall, a short 30 minute walk which takes in the views from Lover’s Leap and The Ruin, where you can see a selection of the follies and the wood below.
• Cascades & Follies, a one hour circular route which includes the main follies and falls such as Rustic Temple, the Grotto, Forty Foot Fall, The Ruin, Lover’s Leap and a brief detour to Mowbray Castle.
• Riverside Rambler is a 90 minute stroll along the river, past the beach and Fisher’s Hall, before returning back via the Grotto, Rustic Temple and the fountain pond.
• Hackfall Explorer takes between 2-3 hour and takes you to the far reaches of Hackfall, while passing almost all of the main sights.

You can also get a digital version of the Hackfall Woods walks map here.

Things to do at Hackfall Woods

The sprawling Hackfall Woods has more than first meets the eye. To make sure you don’t miss anything on your visit, here are the top 10 things to do in Hackfall Woods. So grab your walking boots and get ready to explore!

Activate the Hackfall Woods Fountain

Make sure you have a decent breakfast before you head to Hackfall Woods because you’re going to need it! And there is no better test of strength than activating the Hackfall Woods fountain!

The Hackfall Woods fountain was originally created in 1756 as part of Aislabie’s design for Hackfall. But, the fountain had stopped working by the early 1800s. However, in a recent years, an investment from Lottery Heritage Fund meant that the fountain was restored to working order.

You manually power the fountain using a hand pump at the edge of the pond. It takes approximately six to ten good pumps which is trickier than it sounds! But once you get the hang of it, you will be rewarded by a tower of water shooting over 30 metres into the air!

Admire the Forty Foot Hackfall Woods Waterfall

Yep, you read that right. Hackfall Woods waterfall is forty foot high! We visited during the middle of a summer dry spell and the waterfall was still an impressive sight! Originally, the falls would have been enhanced by releasing water from a reservoir above at peak times to impress visitors.

Even without the additional reservoir, Forty Foot Falls is an incredible waterfall. Make sure you stop and admire it, both up close and from a distance.

Discover the Hackfall Woods Hidden Waterfalls

As if boasting a 40-foot waterfall wasn’t enough, Hackfall Woods is dotted with numerous smaller, hidden waterfalls. As you scour the woods, it is impossible to not stumble upon at least one or two of these pretty hidden gems. Be sure to keep an eye out!

Discover the Views of Hackfall Woods from Lover’s Leap

As you circle the upper rim of the woodland, make sure you take a seat and admire the view from Lover’s Leap. This dramatic viewpoint has sweeping views across Hackfall Woods. It is the ideal place to rest your feet while soaking up the scenery.

Find the Hackfall Woods Follies

There are numerous small buildings and follies dotted throughout Hackfall Woods which adds to the fairytale atmosphere. Some of these buildings are listed due to their historic significance, whereas others have been restored to reflect their original forms. Restoration work is still ongoing at Hackfall, so there may be additional buildings to visit in the future.

Rustic Temple

The original purpose of the Rustic Temple isn’t known. Unlike many of the buildings at Hackfall Woods, it doesn’t frame a specific view. When it was first built, the Rustic Temple would have had a roof, so it’s possible it was originally designed as a shelter or rest stop for walkers.

The architecture of this building is unique as it was built with large stones that interlock so there is no need for mortar to hold the structure together.

The Grotto

The Grotto was designed as a spot for visitors to sit and admire Forty Foot Waterfall. The original grotto had all but collapsed and what stands today has been restored true to the original design. So grab a seat and spend a few minutes (or hours!) watching the impressive waterfall.

Fisher’s Hall

Fisher’s Hall is my favourite of the buildings at Hackfall Woods. It looks like something straight out of the pages of a fairytale!

The exact purpose of Fisher’s Hall is not known. Some suggest that it was named after Aislabie’s head gardener William Fisher, who was involved in the building of Hackfall. However, there is no mention of him on the inscription above the door to the building.

Alternatively, some believe the building was intended as a fisherman’s rest building due to its proximity to the river. Whatever the original intention was behind Fisher’s Hall, today, it is a beautiful spot to admire as you explore Hackfall.

Find the Secret Hackfall Wood Beach

When you set out for a woodland stroll, you’re probably not expecting to stumble across a beach. Hackfall Woods is full of surprises though! Towards the northern end of the woodland, you will find a sandy beach on the banks of the River Ure.

Climb to Mowbray Castle

Mowbray Castle was built as a mock ruin between 1750 and 1767. It was designed to look like a ruin, so what you see today isn’t really any different to how it looked then.

Mowbray Castle was likely designed to be admired from a distance, rather than close up. From Lover’s Leap, you can see what appears to be a grand tower looming over the woodland below. Close up, it is actually little more than this, but is definitely worth the climb to see it in person.

Stay at the Ruin in Hackfall

If you really want a memorable trip, you can make Hackfall your home – for a short stay at least! The Ruin is a building that is now owned by the Landmark Trust, which they have converted into a holiday home. It is perched overlooking Hackfall Woods, which makes a wonderful ‘back garden’ during your stay!

We enjoyed a magical week living at The Ruin. Check back soon as I will be sharing a full blog post detailing our stay at this beautiful place! You can book your stay here.

Know Before You Go

If you’re planning a trip to Hackfall, here are some things to know before you go.

How to get to Hackfall Woods

By car: to get to Hackfall by car, navigate to HG4 3BS. If you are travelling from Ripon or Masham, the car park will be on your left. You will spot it shortly before the village of Grewelthorpe.

By train: The nearest train stations are Leyburn (14 miles away) and Thirsk (19 miles away). From Leyburn, you can catch the 825 bus to Hackfall as outlined below. From Thirsk, you will need to catch the bus number 70 towards Ripon, then change at Ripon to the 138 to Masham. This journey will take approximately two hours.

By bus: Bus 825 operated by Eastern Dales goes directly to Hackfall. Its route includes Selby, Tadcaster, Wetherby, Harrogate, Ripley Castle, Brimham Rocks, Fountains Abbey, Kirkby Malzeard, Hackfall and Masham. You can get service details and the timetable here.

Where do you park for Hackfall Woods?

There is a free car park at Hackfall Woods. You can reach it by navigating to HG4 3BS. The entrance to the car park is located on a blind summit. Please take extra care when entering and exiting the car park.

If the car park is full, there is no space to park on the road. Instead, you can choose to park at Masham and enjoy an invigorating 4 hour circular walk from Masham to Hackfall and back. You can download the instructions for this walk here.

When is Hackfall Woods open?

Hackfall Woods is open 24/7 all year round so you can visit at any time. The only time parts of Hackfall may be closed is when significant restoration work is taking place.

How can I help preserve Hackfall?

Fallen in love with Hackfall Woods on your visit? There are some things you can do to help support this magical place.

Firstly, when you are at Hackfall, stick to the established paths and take your litter away with you. This will help to protect the woods and the wildlife for future visitors.

Secondly, you can opt to support the ongoing restoration work at Hackfall by donating to The Woodland Trust. The Woodland Trust is the charity that maintains Hackfall Woods as part of their mission to save ancient woodlands from being lost, and to preserve woodlands for people to enjoy.

Hackfall Woods is completely free to enter and enjoy. But if you want to support the costs of maintaining Hackfall so you can continue to enjoy it for years to come, you can make a donation to Woodland Trust, or make a purchase from their store to support their ongoing work.

10 Things to do at Hackfall Woods

If you’re ready to explore Hackfall Woods for yourself, be sure to bookmark this page or pin it so you can revisit this guide!

If you want to discover more hidden gems in the county, you can find the complete Hidden Yorkshire series here.

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Until our next adventure,

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