Ledsham Bank Nature Reserve

Ledsham

Wildflower meadow at Ledsham Bank Nature Reserve

Marsh orchids are amongst the flowers that bloom in summer.

Little owl in flight

Little owl © Andy Rouse/2020VISION

A Marbled White butterfly resting on resting on a small scabious flower. Photo by Edwardes/2020VISION

Marbled White - (C) Guy Edwardes2020VISION

It doesn’t have to be the Summer of Love to enjoy an explosion of flower power. Let Ledsham Bank’s vivid wildflower display blow your mind this June or July!

Location

Holyrood Lane

Nearest town: Castleford (5.1m/8.2km)
LS25 5LL

OS Map Reference

SE 4596 2977

View on What3Words

A static map of Ledsham Bank Nature Reserve

Know before you go

Size
5 hectares
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Entry fee

Free
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Parking information

Lay-by opposite the reserve on Holyrood Lane. The entrance is hidden behind a bank of trees, across the road and slightly to the left up a small incline.

Grazing animals

Cattle and sheep graze in the winter months.

Access

Access via the field.

Dogs

On a lead

Please respect the resident wildlife and keep dogs on a short lead. 

When to visit

Opening times

Open all year. We recommend a 1 hour for this reserve, for a longer outing, tie in with our Aire Valley reserves and Lines Way.

Best time to visit

June to July

About the reserve

Tucked away in a magnesian limestone valley, Ledsham Bank supports incredible plantlife, including pyramidal and common spotted orchids, autumn lady’s tresses, hoary plantain, yellow-wort, and dyer’s greenweed – rare in Yorkshire. You might be lucky enough to see the extremely rare pasque flower at Easter time. The reserve is fabulous for butterflies, such as marbled white, small and large skipper, comma, and common and holly blue. A mature hedgerow provides food and shelter for winter finches and thrushes – and keep an eye out for little owls.

Contact us

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Contact number: 01904 659570
Contact email: info@ywt.org.uk

Directions

Take Junction 42 off the A1 (M) towards Ledsham/Kippax. Cross the first roundabout and take the first exit onto the A1246 on the second roundabout. Take the first right onto Holyrood Lane, after approximately 800 metres park in the layby on the left. Access to the site is a little further along.

Seasonal Highlights

  • Spring: Plants - Cowslip, Holly blue
  • Summer: Plants - Centaury, Dyer's Greenwood; Invertebrates - Butterflies - Large skipper and Common blue
  • Autumn: Birds - Little owl and Nuthatch
  • Winter: Birds - Redwing, Fieldfare and Siskin

Before you go!

Cattle and sheep conservation graze this fragile habitat at certain times of year, so please be careful not to disturb them.

Red kite soaring in a clear hazy sky with it's long wings outstretched looking for prey.

Red kite at Staveley nature reserve - (c) Sean Jones

Magical Wildlife Moments...

Lifting your eyes from the incredible flowers to see a red kite soaring over. 

A tree top canopy with a blue sky.

Guy Edwardes/2020VISION

Let’s go wild for Yorkshire's wildlife!

From the heights of Ingleborough to the tip of Spurn, our nature reserves are a home (often the only home) to Yorkshire’s rarest and most incredible wildlife. Will you help us continue our work and provide these vital sanctuaries for nature?
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