Nature SpotFairburn Ings Nature Reserve > Review
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very good
Fairburn Ings Nature Reserve
micksheff (38)
Sheffield, United Kingdom
Fairburn Ings is a 700-acre wetland site that lies just a few miles to the east of Leeds, near Castleford. It is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). The Lakes (or Ings) provide a wetland habitat for many different species of Animals, Plants, and Insects but it is perhaps best known for its Birdlife.
The Ings are a product of the coal mining that took place in this area in the first half of the last century. The abandoned hollows from where the coal had been removed quickly filled with floodwater, and within only a few years this floodwater became permanent allowing basic vegetation like, Grasses, Reeds, and Sedge to establish itself.
The Ings lie directly adjacent to the River Aire, which at the end of the 1940's and early 1950's still supported a reasonable amount of wildlife. As the vegetation around the Ings became more established some of this wildlife slowly began to move into the area from the surrounding environment.
First impressions of the Reserve are deceptive. The Ings are visible from the A1 Road which runs directly alongside the Reserve, although the Road is elevated with the water below. Access is via a sharp bend that leaves the A1 and this road drops down into the valley below. Directly at the side of the Reserve there are half a dozen huge Cooling Towers at Ferrybridge, so to say that Fairburn Ings does not lie in a beautiful location would be an understatement. However once you are down at ground level you do not notice the nearby Power Station and the drone of the cars hurtling northwards up the A1 is barely audible.
Despite its location there is actually something very tranquil and picturesque about this place. When I was a Child my Parents had a VW Caravette and we always used to stop off here for half an hour to eat our sandwiches, before continuing on our journey north, despite this place only being 45 minutes from where we lived.
There are several places to park, the first point being at the southern edge of the water just as you leave Fairburn Village. The next parking place is a large lay-by about halfway along the road that runs along the eastern shore of the reserve and the third place at the northern end of the water is where you find the largest car park, a picnic area and a Visitors Centre. Parking is free and is possible at the first two places at any time. The main car park at the Visitors Centre is open daily from 9am to 5pm. The Visitor Centre is open at weekends and Bank Holidays from 9.30am to 4.30pm. The Centre is only closed on Christmas day and Boxing Day and the main car park is open every day except Christmas Day.
Entry to the Visitors Centre is free but donations are always welcome. There are Toilets located inside the Visitors Centre, these are unisex Toilets that are equipped for disabled access. Access to the Visitors Centre for people with mobility problems is not difficult, the Car Park is located just 70 metres from the Centre and there is a ramp up to the building. The path from the car park to the Centre is crushed limestone and is very flat.
There is an observation hide inside the Visitors Centre which looks out over the water and from here you can watch the birds up close in the comfort and warmth of the Visitors Centre. There are also several trails that begin at the Visitors Centre and there are five further viewing hides along these trails.
There is a board inside the hide which details the latest Bird sightings for the day and the past week.
The Birds at Fairburn are varied and in winter there are huge numbers of wintering Ducks, Geese and Swans. During Spring and Autumn rarer migrants turn up regularly. One such highlight being a Needle Tailed Swift, which spent several weeks here a few years ago. There have only been two other records of this Asian Bird in Europe.
The habitat at Fairburn Ings is a mixture of open water, marsh and reedbeds. During the Winter months the open water and surrounding fields are an important wintering site for Whooper Swans and Pink Footed Geese that arrive from Greenland in November and depart in March. During severe cold spells the number of Geese can sometimes increase to over 10,000 which is an amazing sight to see.
If you are planning to visit Fairburn Ings then a car is pretty much essential as this area is not really served by Public Transport. By car leave the A1 Road at the junction for the A63, and then follow the signs for Fairburn. Once in the village turn right at a Pub called the Wagon and Horses. At the next T-junction turn right and the reserve is in 1.5 miles on the left.
The Ings are a product of the coal mining that took place in this area in the first half of the last century. The abandoned hollows from where the coal had been removed quickly filled with floodwater, and within only a few years this floodwater became permanent allowing basic vegetation like, Grasses, Reeds, and Sedge to establish itself.
The Ings lie directly adjacent to the River Aire, which at the end of the 1940's and early 1950's still supported a reasonable amount of wildlife. As the vegetation around the Ings became more established some of this wildlife slowly began to move into the area from the surrounding environment.
First impressions of the Reserve are deceptive. The Ings are visible from the A1 Road which runs directly alongside the Reserve, although the Road is elevated with the water below. Access is via a sharp bend that leaves the A1 and this road drops down into the valley below. Directly at the side of the Reserve there are half a dozen huge Cooling Towers at Ferrybridge, so to say that Fairburn Ings does not lie in a beautiful location would be an understatement. However once you are down at ground level you do not notice the nearby Power Station and the drone of the cars hurtling northwards up the A1 is barely audible.
Despite its location there is actually something very tranquil and picturesque about this place. When I was a Child my Parents had a VW Caravette and we always used to stop off here for half an hour to eat our sandwiches, before continuing on our journey north, despite this place only being 45 minutes from where we lived.
There are several places to park, the first point being at the southern edge of the water just as you leave Fairburn Village. The next parking place is a large lay-by about halfway along the road that runs along the eastern shore of the reserve and the third place at the northern end of the water is where you find the largest car park, a picnic area and a Visitors Centre. Parking is free and is possible at the first two places at any time. The main car park at the Visitors Centre is open daily from 9am to 5pm. The Visitor Centre is open at weekends and Bank Holidays from 9.30am to 4.30pm. The Centre is only closed on Christmas day and Boxing Day and the main car park is open every day except Christmas Day.
Entry to the Visitors Centre is free but donations are always welcome. There are Toilets located inside the Visitors Centre, these are unisex Toilets that are equipped for disabled access. Access to the Visitors Centre for people with mobility problems is not difficult, the Car Park is located just 70 metres from the Centre and there is a ramp up to the building. The path from the car park to the Centre is crushed limestone and is very flat.
There is an observation hide inside the Visitors Centre which looks out over the water and from here you can watch the birds up close in the comfort and warmth of the Visitors Centre. There are also several trails that begin at the Visitors Centre and there are five further viewing hides along these trails.
There is a board inside the hide which details the latest Bird sightings for the day and the past week.
The Birds at Fairburn are varied and in winter there are huge numbers of wintering Ducks, Geese and Swans. During Spring and Autumn rarer migrants turn up regularly. One such highlight being a Needle Tailed Swift, which spent several weeks here a few years ago. There have only been two other records of this Asian Bird in Europe.
The habitat at Fairburn Ings is a mixture of open water, marsh and reedbeds. During the Winter months the open water and surrounding fields are an important wintering site for Whooper Swans and Pink Footed Geese that arrive from Greenland in November and depart in March. During severe cold spells the number of Geese can sometimes increase to over 10,000 which is an amazing sight to see.
If you are planning to visit Fairburn Ings then a car is pretty much essential as this area is not really served by Public Transport. By car leave the A1 Road at the junction for the A63, and then follow the signs for Fairburn. Once in the village turn right at a Pub called the Wagon and Horses. At the next T-junction turn right and the reserve is in 1.5 miles on the left.
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