Nature reserves are specific areas where plants, animals and wildlife are protected to allow everything to thrive and great places to visit whatever the weather and time of year.
We listed some great nature reserves in York and also activities you can do with children when you visit – whatever the season!
We’ve also created some seasonal scavenger hunts for you to download for FREE and print off to take with you. Download them here: Winter Scavenger Hunt, Spring Scavenger Hunt, Summer Scavenger Hunt, Autumn Scavenger Hunt.
This ten-acre site of mixed woodland and ancient meadow is a green haven in the middle of a large housing estate and is managed by the Woodland Trust. It offers a small area of nature in an otherwise urban landscape. Plenty of birds have made it their home, so don’t forget your binoculars!
🗺 Location: Acomb Wood Close, York
🚘Parking: Car park available nearby
🐶Dogs: Welcome but keep under close control
ℹ️Find out more: Woodland Trust website
The boardwalk is a short loop so perfect for little legs and pushchairs. If you decide to venture off the boardwalk, you will need wellies and it is very boggy with some deep pools and ditches.
Check out our Mumbler Review of Askham Bog before you set off!
“Askham Bog is a lovely walk but it’s not very long! There is a wooden walkway round tho so it’s not muddy!” Mumbler AC
🗺Location: Just off the A1036, York, YO23 2UB
🚘Parking: Car park available at the entrance of the reserve
🐶Dogs: Must be kept on a lead
ℹ️Find out more: YWT website
Clifton Backies was designated as a Nature Reserve in 2002 and is situated between Bootham Stray and Water Lane in Clifton. It has been used for various things over the years, from arable fields to an airfield in World War II. There are still some surviving historical features such as the ridges and furrows created by medieval ox ploughs and the concrete airfield paths and some old blast shelters.
“It’s fairly small so fine for little ones. We stuck to main paths but there was some we didn’t explore. Nice big grass area which ours played on too.” Mumbler LT
🗺Location: Just off Water Lane, York
🚘Parking: Small car park at the entrance
🐶Dogs: Dogs are welcome
ℹ️Find out more: York Council website
Hob Moor was declared a Local Nature Reserve in 2003 and is an 89-acre site of mainly unimproved pastureland, with a small area of raised sandy heath in the northeast corner. Cattle graze on the main expanse of the Moor from May to October.
🗺Location: Hob Moor, one of the ancient commons of York, is situated between Acomb, Holgate and Dringhouses; it is 1.5 miles southwest of the Minster, not far from the Racecourse.
🚘Parking: Off-street parking available
🐶Dogs: Dogs are welcome
ℹ️Find out more: Friends of Hob Moor website
Moorlands is a small woodland, very popular with Mumblers! There is a lovely trail for children to follow and the fact it is a safely enclosed woodland, makes it perfect for young explorers of nature. There is a huge collection of rhododendrons, some of which are very old.
“Moorlands Nature Reserve is a lovely little walk, tree house to play on”. Mumbler CP
🗺Location: Moor Lane, York, YO32 2RE
🚘Parking: Limited off-street parking is available outside the woodland
🐶Dogs: No dogs permitted
ℹ️Find out more: YMT website
At St Nicks, you can discover 24 acres of green space on the site of a former rubbish tip. It has been a Nature Reserve since 2004 in order to maintain and conserve a wide range of habitats. Just a mile from the city centre, it is situated between an industrial area and a housing estate. It will come as no surprise to hear that the Environment Centre remains closed during the latest lockdown. The nature reserve, however, remains open for exercise and wildlife spotting!
“St Nicholas fields off Hull road/Melrosegate or can enter on foot from the cycle track or the end of Hazel court. Can get a bit muddy but is a great oasis in the midst of the housing area.” Mumbler KU
🗺 Location: bottom of Maple Grove, York, YO10 3FW
🚘 Parking: Off-street parking available
🐶 Dogs: Yes but must be on leads or close control
ℹ️Find out more: Saint Nicks website
“It’s lovely there and lots of parking… it is known to have a fabulous population of adders, which is great, but I would definitely recommend wearing shoes/boots not sandals and long trousers. But I want to stress any encounter with an adder is very rare as they often get out of the way long before you see them.” Mumbler KB
🗺Location: Common Road, Strensall, York, YO32 5YB
🚘Parking: Roadside parking. A central parking point is by the Common Road level crossing.
🐶Dogs: Yes but must be on leads
ℹ️Find out more: YMT website
Just a 20-minute drive from York, Allterthorpe Common Nature Reserve is a great place to visit if you like looking for wildlife. This 6-hectare site has no formal paths to follow but you can enjoy spotting roe deer and plenty of birds. There are also several ponds where you can see dragonflies. The nearest refreshments and toilets are in Pocklington 4 miles away.
🗺Location: Off Common Lane, Allerthorpe, East Riding of Yorkshire, YO42 4RU
🚘Parking: Free parking in FC car park of Common Lane
🐶Dogs: Dogs are not allowed
ℹ️Find out more: YMT website
Located to the east of Dunnington, Hagg Wood is about a 20-minute drive from York. There is plenty of wildlife and nature to discover at Hagg Wood.
🗺Location: Hagg Wood, Dunnington, York
🚘Parking: Off-street parking available. Please be considerate to local residents when parking.
🐶Dogs: Yes
ℹ️Find out more: Forestry England website
Don’t let winter put you off getting out and about. There is still plenty of nature to look for and The Wildlife Trust has an amazing Winter Wildlife & Activity Guide available here. You could:
There is so much to see in spring when nature starts bursting to life again. Find out what to look out for in Spring from the RSPB here. The Wildlife Trust also has a great list of things to look out for in Spring from bluebells to woodpeckers and hares to woodland butterflies. You could also:
In summer you can enjoy the sunshine and all the colour that nature offers. The Wildlife Trust has a great list of things you can spot in summer. You could also:
This time of significant change in nature is a brilliant time to learn even more about what is going on around you. As the leaves and seeds start to fall there are plenty of treasures to collect. The Woodland Trust has some great craft ideas for all those fallen leaves you collect on your travels. You could also:
❄️🌷☀️🍁 We hope you enjoy getting out and about and enjoy visiting nature reserves in York whatever the season! If you enjoyed this post, you might also like our Family Walking in York section❄️🌷☀️🍁
