 old mother shipton 
Britains oldest attraction!
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Recommendation added: 16/04/2007 14:55
By: Ms Stressy (YSUK rating +95)Ms Stressy has been thanked 10 times for this contribution
"Nestled in the heart of mothers shiptons estate theres a relic of the ancient forest of Knaresborough, with beautiful riverside walks and gorgeous scenery. we travelled to the mother shiptons cave by train and although it was rather a long journey it was well worth it. Situtated in one of the most scenic parts of yorkshire the cave is roughly a 6 minute walk from Knaresborough train station, through cobbled streets and along the river Nidd. It is well sign posted and easily accessiable although it was a bit awkward with a pushchair we managed. Entrance to the park is very reasonable. Adults £5.50 Senior citizens £4.50 Children 4-15 £4.00 family ticket (2+2 or 2+3) £16.50 with each additional child £2.50. the ticket lasts all day and free parking is included. You can come and go as you please as long as you have your ticket with you and there is plenty to see in knaresborough itself but i will come back to that.
There is only one set of toilets and these are situated by the main entrance but this is literally the only bad thing i could find about this place!!
Situated on the river Nidd you walk through what used to be knaresboroughs ancient forest, the scenery is amazing, ducks and swan on the river wander aimlessly towards you looking for a nibble or two to eat, rare plants adorn the forest and it is so quiet you cannot help but to relax in the amazing atmosphere.
the story of mother shipton is strange to say the least. Born some 500 years ago in the times of king henry the 8th and queen elizabeth the first she is said to be Englands most famous prophetress. she was born in in cave beside knaresboroughs petrifying well to an unmarried mother during a violent lightening storm as lightning crackled and burned.
as she grew older her visions and predictions became known throughout england and many feared her.She foretold of the invasion and defeat of the spanish armada in 1588 and samuel pepys gravely tells of mother shiptons warning of the great fire of london in 1666. She also told of the death of 2 of king henry the 8th wives and also said that when the great bridge (the viaduct over the river Nidd) fell for a third time the world would come to an end (it has fallen twice and is now made out of the strongest bricks and mortar known to man! (just in case)
Beside the cave in which mother shipton was born is a unique geological phenomenon, the petrifying well. curiosity has drawn billions of visitors over hundreds of years to see everyday object being turned to stone by cascading waters. There is a hat left by John wayne, a pair of shoes left by coronation streets sarah lancashire as well as many other famous peoples property, all encased in stone made by the petrifying well. The petrifying process can take between 3 and 18 months, and because they have thousands of requests from the public you cannot take your own items to be petrifyed but you can purchase petrifyed items from the gift shop.
There is also a wishing well, it looks like a cave with water splashing down into it, you place your right hand in, make a wish, the wish is never to be repeated and then you let your hand dry naturally, it is said that your wish will come true if all of these criteria are met. I made my wish, and now i am hoping!
There is also a small museum attached to the gift shop, with some very interesting artifacts as well as the famous items i mentioned before.
But the highlight of the park itself is the cave where mother shipton was born, its eerily spooky, and has a 'prescence' this may have been plaed upon because there is no lights and a spooky voice telling the story of mother shipton and her prophecies. it is only a small cave with a model of old mother shipton nestled in the back of the cave.
Stairs that lead down the the petrifying well, wishing well and cave are a bit steep and can get very slippery, so you have to take care.
Included in the admission price is an activity sheet for kids, with the answers all around the park and when handed into the gift shop they will get a prize (mine got chocolate).
There is also a stunning viaduct over the river Nidd and plenty of places it just sit and relax, there are also 2 adventure playgrounds for the children to burn off some energy and loads of picnic tables. i would recommend taking your own lunch because one, you get to eat in the beautiful surroundings, and two, the tea shops are quite expensive, especially if you have a few kids with you.
Near to the caves in historic Knaresborough there are castle ruins, a beautiful park and boat hire, as well as a quaint little town center selling all sorts of curiouso.
for more information visit www.mothershipton.co.uk or telephone 01423864600
A great day out not to be missed"
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