Welcome
The Petrifying Well in Knaresborough is England’s Oldest Paid Visitor Attraction, open since 1630. There’s something for all ages within the attraction, including an adventure playground, themed trails during the school holidays and plenty of picnic areas and seating. Both the Petrifying Well and Mother Shipton’s Cave are natural rock formations, situated in the centre of a mile long, woodland park.
Level access
There is level access from the car park to:
Picnic AreaAccess with steps
Hearing
Visual
General
Getting here
Travel by public transport
Travel by taxi
Parking
Arrival
Path to main entrance
Main entrance
Getting around inside
Ticket/ information desk
Ticket Booth
Team members can come out from the ticket booth to speak to visitors.
Things to See and Do
Woodland Walk
The walk from the main entrance and car parks through the woodland to the middle of the attraction has some slopes and gravelled ground, but is accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Unfortuantely, beyond this, there are steps to the cave, well, and museum.
Public toilet
Main Toilets
There is a small step up to the toilet block
Public toilet
Portable Toilets
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There are horizontal grab rails located to the left of the toilet. There are baby changing facilities within this toilet.
Shop
Gift Shop
Access to the Cave, Well, and Museum and gift shop can only be gained by three flights of 25 steps.
From the steps to the shop and museum, it is 172m over graveled pathway. The door to enter the gift shop is 720mm wide and the door to exit is 660mm wide.
The route through the shop is 1020mm wide.
The flooring within the shop stone, with matting by the exit.
Merchandise is displayed on shelves up to a height of 1880mm. Staff are available to help customers who require assistance to navigate between fixtures throughout the shop.
There is low level background music playing that can be turned down if requested.
Water bowls for dogs are available outside the gift shop
Getting around outside
Woodland Walk
Both the Petrifying Well and Mother Shipton’s Cave are natural rock formations, situated in the centre of a mile long, woodland park. The historic Woodland walk along the river is described by English Heritage as ‘one of the best’ however, by its nature, the path is undulating, and slightly uneven in places.
Picnic Area
Picnic Area
There are several outdoor tables and covered seating tables. The undercover tables are narrow and not suitable for wheelchairs.
We cater vegetarian and gluten free (celiac) specific diets.
We can also provide soya, oat or almond milk for coffee, tea and hot chocolate.
Water bowls for dogs are available outside the refreshment kiosks.
Playground
This is the only area of the site where dogs are not allowed.
Petrifying Well
The ground is concrete that can become slippery when wet. There are drainage grates. There is a shelter before the steps to the cave, well, and museum to park pushchairs.
Cave
After the 3 steps of steps, there are a further 12 steps to the Cave, 13.5m long by 2m wide. The steps are 1.2m deep by 150mm high.
There is an audio box with Child and Adult options.
This area is dimly lit and has a low head height. The lowest head height of the rock in this area is approximately 1800mm high.
The ground is hard rock.
Wishing Well
There are a further 9 steps to the wishing well, 8m long by 2m wide. The steps are 1.2m deep by 200mm high.
This area is dimly lit and has a low head height. The lowest head height of the rock in this area is 1400mm high.
The ground is hard rock that can become slippery when wet.
Customer care support
Customer care support
There are inforamation boards and audio boxes at areas of interest.