Previous Field Trips

It is seven years since our group visited Jervaulx Abbey in Wensleydale. We will park in the car park (SE168857) which is on the opposite side of the road to the entrance to the Abbey grounds. Adjoining the car park is an excellent tea-room and toilets. The Abbey ruins and grassy areas support a huge number of wonderful plants.

For those members of the group whose main interest is not botany, a circular walk will be organised along the riverside from the car park. 

Leaders: Joan Dobson, Robert Waind and Sue Zajaczkowska
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £10

Grass Wood is probably at its best in late Spring. We will park in the quarry car park (SD985652) which is off the Grassington to Coniston minor Road. A complete circuit of the wood with an additional linear walk in Bastow Wood will be about 3 ½ miles. Grass Wood is wildlife-rich Ash woodland occupying an area of carboniferous limestone. We hope to see some of its special flowers, such as Lily-of-the-valley, Bloody Crane’s-bill, Bird’s-eye Primrose, Mountain Pansy and maybe Bird’s-nest Orchid. Summer migrants we may see are Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Warbler and Wood Warbler. T

he paths are stony in places and it will be a moderately strenuous walk with uphill sections and a ladder stile. We will access toilets in the main car park in Grassington. 

Leader: Donald Lightowler
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £8

We will start our day at Little Asby Outrakes & Inrakes, just west of Kirby Stephen, NY699101.  This is a small area of rough grazing notable for a colony of Small White Orchids as well as Northern & Early Marsh, Common Spotted, Early Purple & Heath Fragrant Orchids. The terrain is rough pasture; long tussocky grass grazed by cattle. You need to watch where you put your feet.  Distance walked is negligible as the site is alongside a minor road. 

We will then travel to Augill Pasture, just east of Brough. This is a small Cumbria Wildlife Trust site which contains a bank of woodland and an area of uncommon mountain hay meadow. We would hope to see Globe Flower, Frog Orchid and Twayblade. There is a steep climb up to the meadow, but the walk is short. We will stop for food on our return journey. 

Leaders: Julia Pearson and John Gavaghan
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £11

The morning visit will be to Quarry Moor NR near Ripon (SE 311694). Cars can be parked in the reserve car park, but the minibus will need to park at Morrisons supermarket, where toilets are available. We hope to see the special plants of this Magnesian limestone area, including Thistle Broomrape, a Yorkshire speciality. The walking is easy and mostly on the level, though maybe muddy in places.

Lunch can be taken at the picnic tables near the bird-feeding area or in the café at Morrisons. Later we will travel to the village of Burton Leonard (SE326637) where, after parking the minibus, we will walk for approx. ¾ mile to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve at the old lime-quarries. Many special plants grow here in the lime-rich soils. Butterflies’ are attracted to this sheltered spot. There are some short slopes to negotiate so a stick would be useful. 

Leaders: Eric Beety, Joan Dobson.
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £8

The date for this visit has been selected to coincide with the flowering of the Lady’s Slipper Orchid, which was introduced on the site several years ago and is doing well here. We should also see other special flowers for which the reserve is famous. Birds of prey, particularly Marsh Harriers, are often seen soaring overhead. Good footwear is essential as the limestone pavements and paths can be slippery when wet.

Be aware that ticks are present on this site so please take precautions (long trousers and sleeves). Parking is by permit only on the site and car-parking spaces are limited. Toilets will be accessed en route; no facilities on site. Don’t forget your camera!

Leaders: John Gavaghan, Joan Dobson
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £11

Our morning visit is to Chellow Dene, Bradford, parking at the far end of Chellow Lane (SE124345). It is eleven years since our group visited this local site. We will make a complete circuit of both reservoirs, where the walking is on the flat apart from one steep slope and steps (about 1 ¾ miles in all). We should see some interesting plants, including Rustyback Fern, Bitter Vetch, Wood Horsetail, Yellow Pimpernel and Bluebell. Birds likely to be seen in the woodland are Greater-Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Tree-Creeper and Nuthatch, with various water-birds on the reservoirs.

We will make a stop at Morrisons, Girlington for toilets, before proceeding to our afternoon destination, Northcliffe Woods. We will park on Cliffe Wood Avenue and walk into the woods. Although this is another local site, well-known to several of our members, the group has not visited since 2008. Depending on time available, this may be a linear or a circular walk. 

Leaders:   Joan Dobson, Madeleine Massey
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £5

The meeting place for this visit is the car park at Newmiller Dam (SE 333158), which is south of Wakefield off the A61. Here we can access toilets and have a quick look at the dam. Then we will drive to a carpark on Seckar Lane for a morning visit to Seckar Wood. The area is a SSSI and has not been visited by our group. We hope to see Spring flowers and Summer migrant birds. In the afternoon we will visit Sandal Castle from where there are good views over Pugneys Country Park and surrounding area.

The walking is generally easy, but there is a climb up to the castle. 

Leaders: Stuart and Gillian Tordoff.
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £7

Our walk will be around 3 miles starting from the car park of St Barnabus Church, Weeton (Grid ref 284465). It will encompass hedgerow, woodland, field margin and river bank. Rougemont Carr is a bluebell wood which has developed in the bailey of a 12th century Anglo Saxon settlement and is stunning in spring. We should see a variety of spring flowers and migrant birds.

Walking is easy, on the flat with some steep steps leading to the riverside. Toilet calls will be arranged.

Leader: Margaret Rees
Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am. Cost £7

TIt is several years since we experienced the delights of this Yorkshire Wildlife Trust site in the Spring. Part of the site, Thompson Meadow (Plantlife managed), should be glorious at this time of year with Cowslips and Early Purple Orchids. We will aim to stop on the roadside to explore this meadow, before going on to the Reserve car park for lunch. Thereafter the rest of the Reserve can be explored. We would expect to see other Spring flowers, Summer migrant birds and maybe a few early butterflies. Toilets will be accessed en route as there are no facilities on site. 

Leaders: Alice Gingell and Joan Dobson

Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £8

After our brief visit in August last year to Ledsham Bank, it was decided to return to see the Pasque Flower in bloom. This is the only place in the North of England where it grows. Other spring flowers should also be blooming in the Magnesian limestone grassland. Then we will travel to Fairburn Ings visitor centre for lunch (picnic tables and toilets), before going a short distance to St Aidans Nature Reserve. This will be a new venue for the group. Being a wetland site alongside the River Aire, the interest will be mainly avian. Bring your binoculars and cameras.

Leaders: John Gavaghan & Stuart Tordoff

Minibus transport; depart Unitarian Church 9.30am.  Cost £7