Previous Field Trips

Following our “taster” to this area in March 2015, we are returning this autumn and will arrive just before high tide which is at 12.59 pm, therefore we ought to get good views of the waders, etc. as the tide recedes. We plan to park in the promenade car park and walk along the promenade for about 1 mile. There are several shelters for a lunch-stop in case of inclement weather and toilets not far from the car park. Then we will take the minibus to Hest Bank, parking on the foreshore across the railway tracks and from there we will enjoy another linear walk. A café with toilets is available here. Don’t forget binoculars.

Leaders: Stuart Tordoff & Gillian Tordoff
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £ 10

We haven’t visited this YWT reserve for some considerable time. It is located in S Yorkshire SE496008 adjacent to the River Dearne which flows into the River Don. Sprotborough Flash is nearby. There are a variety of habitats: open water with 3 hides, water meadows, woodland, scrub and hedgerows. Mining subsidence has caused permanent water areas to form where the River Dearne once flowed and the reserve has an important role in the water management of the river. Our visit will be between seasons so we can look out for late summer flowers, butterflies, waders, migrating birds and birds of prey. Walking is easy on the flat with some wet patches.

Leaders: Margaret Rees & Joan Dobson  
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost: £8

The Park (post code BB11 3RQ) is owned and managed by Burnley Borough Council and comprises 440 acres on the outskirts of Burnley. The Hall, which was the home of the Towneley family for more than 500 years, is at the southern end of the Park and is Burnley’s art gallery and museum. It is open from 12pm to 5 pm and the entry fee is £ 4 (free to children, students & Burnley residents). There is car parking near the Hall which is £ 1 per day, pay & display. Nearby are toilets & an excellent café.

The Park has a range of habitats. There are 24 acres of broadleaved woodland with access paths, also grassland, wetlands and 3 ponds. The river Calder runs through the centre of the Park. Of special interest is the Deer Pond, which was Burnley’s first nature reserve and is an important site for dragonflies & damselflies.

Leaders: Joan Dobson & Margaret Rees
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost: £ 8 

Our day will start with a brief visit to Ledsham Bank (grid ref SE461300) to see Autumn Lady’s Tresses and other flowers.  We will park in a gateway opposite the entrance to the reserve. From there we will travel to Fairburn Ings  N.R. Visitor Centre for a toilet stop only.  We will park at Lin Dyke for a circular walk of less than 2 miles on the new wildlife path where there should be botanical interest.

Leaders:  John Gavaghan & Stuart Tordoff
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £ 7

Our visit to Otley Chevin will start from the Surprise View car park. The Chevin has many diverse habitats including woodland, heathland and meadow. Our plan would be to visit three areas of meadow that have been created by the addition of native wildflowers and seed to encourage the butterfly population. A warm day will be required. We hope to see species such as Meadow Brown, Small Copper and Common Blue which feed on Thistle, Common Sorrel and Birds foot trefoil respectively. Much of the Chevin is covered with Bilberry the food plant of the Green Hairstreak butterfly which is on the wing earlier in the year. Please be aware the tracks are rough and stony and there are some steep slopes. Protection in the form of a sun hat and sun screen will be needed on a sunny day. Distance covered will be less than 2 miles.

Leaders: Margaret Rees, Alice Gingell
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £7

We will make our way up the path beside the Shipley Glen Tramway, to the Glen where there is a café with toilets. (Unfortunately Tuesday is maintenance day, and the tramway is not able to open for us).  We can look around the garden of the Bracken Hall Countryside Centre, ( the centre itself will probably not be open).  After which we will make our way down through the Glen to Trench Meadows which is an SSSI. Although too late for the orchids there are a number of interesting grasses to be seen.  We will then return to the minibus via the riverside to Roberts Park, where there should be another café and toilets. Parking is in the car park next to Salts’ School near the bottom of the tramway. Walk 2 to 3 miles.

Leader: Vera Clark
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £5

Planning Meeting 10a.m, at YMCA Thornton Road.  

All welcome. 

Our visit today is to the limestone pavement of the Southerscales Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Reserve, part of the Ingleborough NNR.  We will park at The Old Hill Inn on the B6255.  We have less than 100m of gradual climb to the limestone pavement and the walk is about 2 miles in total on relatively good paths. Once on the plateau the terrain is flat, but obviously very uneven with a need for extreme care to be taken as we explore the pavement flora. We will look for an array of limestone pavement specialities, and hope to find Dark Red Helleborine. We can hope for great views of the hills and valleys if the weather is on our side. There is no real shelter so dress with this in mind. In lieu of a parking fee we will have a drink at the Hill Inn before making our way to Ribblehead Quarry. Again it will be short easy walking and we hope to see Marsh Helleborine.

Leader: Julia Pearson
Minibus transport, depart, Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £8

Tuesday 19th July

Today we are visiting two Cumbria Wildlife Trust sites near the tip of Morecambe Bay. For the past few years Ospreys have nested at Foulshaw Moss, which will be our first stopping point (grid ref SD 458 837).We hope to get views of the chicks in the nest from the viewing platform ,this is several 100m from the nest so telescopes will be needed. You can watch the nest on a live webcam for a sneak (and close-up) preview – search for Foulshaw Ospreys on the internet.  

In recent years CWT have been working to restore the wetland habitat by removing conifers and increasing water levels. There has been a gradual improvement in the abundance of bog vegetation and associated insects. We will be led by the CWT warden on a short, flat walk around the boardwalks.  

We will also visit nearby Meathop Moss where we should see similar species. Again the walking will be flat and short. There are no toilet facilities at the reserves but we will stop at Kirkby Lonsdale on the way and call for a chip supper at either Settle or Skipton on the way home.

Leaders: Julia Pearson, Margaret Rees and Madeleine Massey (meal)
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £11

This reserve is bounded by the River Calder & the Calder & Hebble Canal & is on reclaimed industrial land. We will be guided around sensitive parts of the reserve not normally accessible to members of the public. Special plants we hope to see are the rare Yellow Birdsnest & Round-leaved Wintergreen. The site is very good for dragonflies & has a good variety of birds, particularly warblers. Toilet facilities are a few minutes away from the Angler's Car park.

Leader: John Gavaghan   Advisor: Hugh Firman
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £7