Fountains Abbey – Orchard sits within the dramatic remains of Fountains Abbey, a 12th-century Cistercian monastery that ranks among England's most expansive and best-preserved ruins. The adjacent Studley Royal Water Garden adds a tapestry of canals, cascades, and carefully framed vistas that invite windy walks and quiet reflection. The site exudes a hushed, timeless atmosphere where stone arches meet water and light, making it feel both sacred and cinematic. It gained contemporary fame when The Witcher used the ruins as Aretuza’s courtyard and cloisters, weaving fantasy lore into a landscape of weathered history.

Fountains Abbey sits within the haunting ruins of the 12th‑century Cistercian monastery and the Studley Royal water gardens, where centuries of stonework whisper through the air. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage ensemble, renowned for soaring arches, cloistered walkways, and mossy courtyards that exude a quiet, timeless atmosphere. In The Witcher, the abbey’s ruins were repurposed as Aretuza’s courtyard and cloisters, lending mythic gravitas to scenes of magical diplomacy and sorcerous intrigue. Today the setting blends austere medieval grandeur with cinematic hush, as pale limestone frames the ornamental gardens and the meadows beyond, while birds circle above the ancient stones.

Fountains Abbey – Lake Walk sits among the ruins of the medieval Fountains Abbey and the serene Studley Royal Water Garden, where weathered stone meets tranquil lakes and winding paths. Founded in 1132, the abbey rose to prominence as a Cistercian monastery, its arches and cloisters echoing centuries of prayer, harvests, and seasonal pageantry. The site gained cinematic renown when its rugged ruins became Aretuza’s courtyard and cloisters for The Witcher, lending the landscape a mythic air of magic and politics. Today the atmosphere is hushed and timeless, with swans gliding on the water and soft Yorkshire light turning the stone into something almost otherworldly, inviting visitors to imagine legends walking the grounds.