Matt and I have recently been exploring nature reserves in the region around our Yorkshire home.  I can’t believe we have lived here for over 30 years, and explored so much, but never realised how many excellent reserves there are within easy reach of York.

Here are photos and information about our favourites.  My skills as a wildlife photographer are limited, but I hope the photos will give you an idea of how excellent these reserves are.  All are definitely worth a visit, whether you are a keen birdwatcher, a plant lover, or just enjoy a good walk surrounded by wonderful nature.  Now we have discovered them, we will be returning again and again.

If you are interested in membership of the RSPB or the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, just follow the links.  Hopefully I will add more reserves to this page in the near future, so do keep checking back.  And if you know of others worthy of inclusion, please do let us know!

RSPB Reserves

Blacktoft Sands

Blacktoft Sands is just within the Yorkshire county boundary.  It is situated on the south bank of the River Ouse, just before the Ouse joins the Humber, close to Goole and Scunthorpe.

Blacktoft Sands is one of the largest tidal reed beds in the UK, and is a fantastic reserve.  There are six excellent hides, with great views over the tidal pools and reeds.   Good paths link the hides, and the distances between them are quite small.

The bird life varies with the tides and seasons, but there is always something to see here.  And you get great close up views from the hides.

On a recent visit we saw numerous black-tailed godwits, redshanks, wigeon, teal, herons, lapwings and many more.  There is a resident population of tree sparrows, which is easy to observe at a well-placed feeder.  We also got a great view of a marsh harrier, and were able to watch this lovely snipe feeding right in front of one of the hides.

Facilities at Blacktoft Sands

• Car park and small visitor centre
• Toilets including accessible toilets
• Good paths and excellent hides (some with wheelchair access)
• Assistant dogs only

For more information, and charges for non-RSPB members, see Blacktoft Sands.

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Fairburn Ings

Of all the reserves here, Fairburn Ings is perhaps our favourite.  The reserve contains a number of lakes and ponds on different levels, in what used to be a coal face.   The lakes are connected by good paths through beautiful woodland.  From higher ground there are great views over the reserve and the surrounding countryside.

The paths are suitable for all seasons and abilities.  There are excellent hides and screens to watch the wildlife, and plenty of benches when you want a picnic.   The reserve is large enough to walk for several miles if you wish.

There is always wildlife to be seen here, particularly wildfowl and waders at the lakes.  On recent visits we saw great white egret, little egret, grey heron, curlew, wigeon, teal, shoveler, great crested grebe, little grebe, merganser, marsh harrier, buzzard, kestrel, and many others.  We also saw dragonflies, butterflies, and on one of our visits impressive numbers of ladybirds!

Other species regularly recorded on the reserve include kingfishers, bitterns, sparrow hawks, red kites and otters – we will definitely keep returning!

Facilities at Fairburn Ings

• Two car parks (one at the main entrance and one at the end of the reserve at Lin Dike).   There is a charge at the main entrance car park (free for RSPB members)
• Visitor centre, shop and binocular hire
• Refreshments with indoor seating and outdoor picnic areas
• Toilets including accessible toilets, and many paths accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs
• Excellent hides
• Activities for children and special events
• Dogs allowed

For more information see Fairburn Ings.

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St Aidan’s Nature Park

St Aidan’s Nature Park, like nearby Fairburn Ings, occupies a disused coal mining site close to the River Aire near Leeds.  As at Fairburn, there are numerous lakes and ponds connected by an extensive network of good paths.

However, despite the proximity to Fairburn, the two reserves are very different in character.  St Aidan’s is much more open and exposed, with big wide views over the wetlands and reed beds.

The wetlands are a hive of activity with various water birds, and there is always something to see.  You can walk for several miles here using the paths on the reserve and also the adjacent path beside the River Aire.

However be aware that there are no hides or shelters on the reserve, so it is very exposed.  If you plan to visit on a wet or windy day, go prepared!  The reserve is quite new, so hopefully this might change.

There are plenty of good benches around the site that are suitable for picnic stops.

Facilities at St Aidan’s

• Car park (charge, but free for RSPB members)
• Small visitor centre
• Light refreshments
• Toilets
• Excellent paths

For more information see St Aidan’s Nature Park.

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Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Reserves

Barlow Common

Barlow Common nature reserve is situated just south of Selby, off the A1041.  It is literally in the shadow of Drax Power Station, but is a haven of peace and tranquility.

We visited the reserve on a glorious autumn day, as you can see from the photos.  The colours were just stunning, as was a flying display given by an obliging buzzard.

The reserve consists of lakes, meadows and beautiful mature woodland.  It has good paths to enable an easy circular walk with plenty of benches and a picnic area.

When we visited there were teasels everywhere.  We will definitely visit again in the spring and summer – this must be a fantastic for bees and butterflies as well as birds.

If you visit, be sure not to miss a second circular route through oak and birch woodland.  It is a short and very easy circuit through beautiful trees, and definitely worthwhile – see the map in the reserve to find the entrance.

Facilities at Barlow Common

• Small visitor centre (closed when we visited)
• Toilets
• Picnic area and benches
• Good paths with carved marker posts

For more information see Barlow Common.

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North Cave Wetlands

North Cave Wetlands is a fantastic reserve, which will become even better in the near future.  The reserve has been created from a former quarry.  A further 100 hectares, which is currently still in use as a quarry, is going to be added to the reserve within the next few years.  It will then be a huge area of deep and shallow lakes, meadow and paths.

When we visited in late summer we saw lots of dragonflies and butterflies, as well as many birds on the lakes.

Amongst the birds were many little egrets on the islands, as can be seen in the photo below.

Facilities at North Cave Wetlands

• Car park and mobile refreshments
• Toilets
• Information boards
• Good paths
• Excellent hides
• Dogs not allowed on the reserve

For more information see North Cave Wetlands.

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Spurn Point

Spurn Point is a unique reserve, consisting of a vulnerable spit of land jutting out from the Holderness coast to the mouth of the Humber Estuary.  There used to be a road to the end of the point, but part of this was washed away in a tidal surge in December 2013.  Access is now on foot or cycle, and is not safe during very high tides, when part of the route may become inundated.

It is a bit of a trek to get there, so if you plan to visit make sure you check the ‘Do not cross’ times on the Spurn Point website before you set off.

From the car park you can walk as far as you wish along the point, and there are various side trails to explore.  It is around 4 miles to the lighthouse (which you can visit at certain times), and a little further to the tip of the point.  No matter how far you walk, it is always exhilerating being here, with wide open views on both  sides.

There are good chances of seeing wildlife on the shore and in the dunes.  Spurn is well known for its migrating birds, and is also a great place to see various insects and mammals.  On a recent visit we saw a roe deer in the dunes, a seal just offshore, and this interesting convolvulus hawk moth caterpillar which was crossing the main path.

Facilities at Spurn Point

• Pay and display car park (free for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Members)
• Excellent visitor centre with educational displays
• Regular organised activities including Spurn Safaris in an all terrain vehicle
• Toilets, including accessible toilets
• Good cafe
• Mainly good paths, but there is soft sand to cross at the wash-over zone, and note information about ‘Do not cross’ times on the YWT website below.
• Hides, nature trails and history trails
• Dogs not allowed on the reserve

For more information see Spurn Point.

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Staveley Nature Reserve

Staveley, situated close to Boroughbridge, is another lovely reserve to visit.  It is quite a large site, with wetlands, grassland and good paths and hides.

Otters, barn owls and red kites are often seen here.  There are several orchid species flowering in summer, and lots of butterflies and dragonflies.  Even if you are not lucky enough to see the star species, there is always something to see on the various ponds and lakes.

On a recent visit we enjoyed great views of herons, and large flocks of lapwings catching the light as they flocked above the lakes.

Facilities at Staveley

• Car park just outside Staveley village (see YWT website below)
• Extensive network of paths
• Good hides
• Dogs allowed on leads

For more information see Staveley Nature Reserve

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I will be adding more reserves to this list in the future, so please do keep checking back!

For reserves and country parks on both sides of the Humber Bridge, please see our post Humber Bridge.

To join the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust or the RSPB, follow the links.

If you would like to stay in Yorkshire, you can search for accommodation using this link to booking.com.

For more ideas for places to visit in Yorkshire we recommend the Rough Guide to Yorkshire.

And just a quick final request – we are always saddened at how much litter we see, even on nature reserves.  Please, please – take your litter home!

Please remember that this site is based purely on our own experiences – therefore kindly note the Disclaimer.

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