Mother Shipton's Cave
Museums & Science Centres · Harrogate, North Yorkshire
No reviews yet
Closed — opens 9.30am
🌳 Outdoor🛝 Playground🌲 WoodlandEducationalSeasonal opening
What’s there
- Café on site
- Parking
- Baby changing
- Picnic area
- Dogs welcome
On-site visitor car park (for venue visitors only - cannot walk into Knaresborough town from it; Conyngham Hall car park recommended to explore the town). No blue badge parking on site.
Only facilities we’ve confirmed are listed — anything missing here we simply haven’t checked, rather than know to be absent.
Mother Shipton's Cave in Knaresborough is England's oldest tourist attraction, open since 1630. Visit the small cave where legend says a prophetess was born, see the petrifying well—a natural phenomenon where mineral-rich water turns items to stone—and make a wish at the wishing well. The site includes riverside walks through ancient forest, an adventure playground (subject to weather), a museum with textile sculptures by artist Mister Finch, and a gift shop. Interactive themed events run during school holidays: Easter, May half term, summer, Halloween and Christmas. Dogs on leads are welcome in most areas.
Seasonal attraction: general admission open 28 March to 1 November; Christmas event on selected dates late Nov-Dec; closed mid-November and January-mid-March. Adventure playground closed during Christmas event and quiet season.
Stuff to take with you
The things people wish they’d packed for a day out like this one.
- Refillable water bottleMost places will fill it for free.
- Snacks that survive a rucksackCheaper than the café, and buys you twenty minutes.
- Wet wipes
- Small first aid kitPlasters solve more days out than anything else here.
- Folding stool
- Sick bagsYou only forget these once.
- Spare socksThe single most reliably useful thing on this list.
- Audiobook or story CD
- Waterproof jacket
- Sunglasses
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