Mother Shipton's Cave

Is it right for my child?

• Christmas ages: Santa tickets are for children aged 0 to 12. Older siblings can tag along (see Prices and tickets).
• What children love: a family visit with Santa in his grotto, a soft toy gift and reindeer food to take home.
• The legend: the site says Mother Shipton was born in this small cave in 1488. It is not an underground cave network.
• The Petrifying Well: mineral water slowly turns everyday objects to stone. A small teddy bear takes around 3 to 5 months.
• Sensory notes: the access guide says the Cave and Wishing Well are dimly lit with low head height.
• Safety: paths run beside the River Nidd, some steps are uneven and rock floors can be slippery when wet. Keep young children close.

Plan your visit: a parent’s checklist

• Book Christmas tickets online in advance. They cannot be bought at the gate.
• Buy a group admission ticket, plus Santa tickets for the children who want the full Santa visit.
• Count everyone in the 5 person headcount, including babes in arms.
• Arrive 15 minutes before your session starts, because Santa is at the start of your slot.
• Bring a bank card. No cash is accepted inside the attraction.
• Pack a sling for babies, sturdy footwear and waterproofs.
• Leave the dog at home. Only guide and assistance dogs are allowed during the Christmas event.

Prices and tickets

Admission prices are per car or per group of up to 5, not per person.

• Christmas Car Admission: £44 on peak dates or £46 on super peak dates. It admits up to 5 people in 1 car and includes parking for your session.
• Christmas Pedestrian Group Admission: £44 or £46 for up to 5 people on foot. No parking.
• Santa Experience ticket: £18 peak or £19 super peak, per child aged 0 to 12 who wants the full Santa visit with a gift. It cannot be bought alone.
• Extra people: additional car passenger and pedestrian tickets are listed from £18, with a maximum of 2 extra passengers per car.
• Exceptions: babes in arms under 6 months need no Santa ticket when with a paying child, unless you want them to get a gift. Siblings aged 13 and over may go in to see Santa without one, but get no gift or pack.
• Peak dates: 28 and 29 November and 18 December. Super peak: 5, 6, 12, 13 and 19 to 24 December.
• A booking fee of £1.50 applies per order.

Refunds: Christmas tickets are non-refundable and cannot be rescheduled. You get a full refund only if the whole event, including meeting Santa, is cancelled. Weather can close the Cave and Petrifying Well without a refund.

Winter Woodland Walks run on the same dates without Santa or activities. A pedestrian group ticket for up to 5 costs £44 peak or £46 super peak, and individual tickets cost £18 or £19. Parking is not included. The event page and booking page list 18 December differently for group tickets, so check the price when booking.

General admission 2026: £35 per car or group of up to 5 off-peak, or £42 peak. Additional passengers or individual pedestrians cost £12 or £16. Under 2s are free outside Christmas, but need a free ticket alongside a car or pedestrian ticket, with a maximum of 3 per booking. The site does not say which prices apply from 26 December.

Pushchairs, babies and toilets

• Steps: the Cave and Petrifying Well are reached only by three sets of steps with handrails. Pushchairs stay under a shelter before the steps.
• At Christmas: pushchairs can reach the Christmas village and catering areas. The grotto and activity huts may not suit all pushchairs, due to narrow walkways and uneven surfaces.
• Toilets: the main toilets by the entrance include baby changing, but have a 150mm step.
• Accessible toilet: a portable accessible toilet with baby changing sits in the middle of the attraction.

Food and drink

Christmas treats are optional extras. The event page lists deluxe hot chocolate, mince pies and winter drinks, with seating in a heated tipi and log gazebos. Marshmallow toasting depends on the weather.

Getting there and parking

• Address: Prophecy Lodge, High Bridge, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire HG5 8DD. The access guide calls it Prophecy House, High Bridge, Harrogate Road.
• One way in and out: the only entrance and exit is on High Bridge.
• By train: the site says Knaresborough station is about five minutes’ walk away.
• Car tickets: on-site parking is for your session only, not for walking into town.
• Conyngham Hall car park: about a two-minute walk away. From 1 November to 28 February the council charges from £0.70 for 1 hour to £2.70 maximum. It is free for motorcycles and disabled users.
• Blue Badge: the plan your visit page says there is no Blue Badge parking. The access guide says the Woodland Car Park has 3 spaces for disabled visitors, so tell staff on arrival.

When to visit

• Before 28 November 2026: on 12 November the site said it was closed while it sets up for Christmas.
• 28 November to 24 December 2026: Christmas Experience and Winter Woodland Walks on selected dates: 28 and 29 November, 5, 6, 12, 13 and 18 to 24 December.
• Closing times: 5.30pm on 28 and 29 November, 8.30pm on other December dates, and 3.30pm on 24 December.
• Quiet season: the site aims to open from 26 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, then weekends, weather permitting, with tickets at the gate. It plans to open daily from 6 to 14 February 2027.
• Playground: no access during the Christmas event or quiet season.
• Shops: the plan your visit page says the gift shop is being refurbished from Halloween 2026, expected to finish by the end of April 2027. The Christmas pages mention a Christmas shop, so ask what is open.

Additional needs and disability support

The site publishes a detailed access guide, last updated on 1 September 2025.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mother Shipton’s Cave open in December 2026?

Only for pre-booked Christmas tickets on selected dates up to 24 December. The site aims to reopen for gate sales from 26 December 2026.

How much is Mother Shipton’s Cave at Christmas?

£44 or £46 per car or group of up to 5. Each child aged 0 to 12 who wants the full Santa visit with a gift needs an £18 or £19 Santa ticket. A £1.50 booking fee applies per order.

Can you take a pushchair to Mother Shipton’s Cave?

Yes, to the middle of the site, but not to the Cave and Well. Leave it under the shelter before the steps and bring a sling.

Is the adventure playground open in winter?

No. There is no access during the Christmas event or the quiet season.

Is Mother Shipton’s Cave scary for young children?

The cave is small and dimly lit. The site tells her story as a legend, and says she became known as a prophetess and a witch.

Checked on 12 November 2026 against the official plan your visit, Christmas, Winter Woodland Walks, booking and access guide pages, and the North Yorkshire Council Conyngham Hall car park page. Prices and times can change, so check before you travel.