Trying to work out if the Sustrans route through Fountains Abbey and Studley Park is open for riders. National Trust say the whole thing is closed, but it's also a chunk of Sustrans Route 688. The gates on the road that goes past the visitor centre car park are closed.
Has anyone been down that way since the lockdown started? I'd be tempted to blaze through on public rights of way but weirdly the one through Studley Park is technically a footpath...
Not exactly the end of the world to go around the outside but the deer park is very pretty.
Only been past the entrances and as you say the gates are locked, I would assume the little gate at the entrance to the park by the church will also be locked, but not been down that way.
You could ride up from Studley Roger and see how far you get?
I got automatic email back from the council saying that the people who normally answer these questions are handling other things at the moment, so I went for a closer look last night.
The main gates are closed but access around the side has been maintained, or you can follow the bridle path that starts 50m down the road and takes you into the estate.
The gate into the deer park is unlocked and both the National Cycle Network signs and footpath signs haven’t been covered up. No gates at the bottom, just the usual cattle grids.
On the basis that an angry gamekeeper didn’t wave a gun at me
I think it’s open as normal to bikes and walkers.
It's a five minute detour round the property any how and you'll be cross if the gate at St Mary's is locked.
Just don't go into Studley Roger and pedal round
on the road if its that sort of bike or
take the BW at SE 2954 7074 to SE 2898 6822 if you've got touring tyres not 23s.
BW past Plumpton Hall via Hill House Farm will be less comfortable I'd expect as the ground will be baked hard and it's often got cattle grazing on it so will be full of hoof holes.
Quick update: looks like the automatic email from the council is out of date. Their Rights of Way officer got back to me yesterday and says that access is legal on the bridlepaths and agreed Sustrans route.
