Location: West Yorkshire
Top Things to do in West Yorkshire
Things to do in West Yorkshire, England: The Best Nature & Wildlife Areas
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in England. It is an inland and in relative terms upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in moors of the Pennines and has a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972.
Restaurants in West Yorkshire
1. SMJ Falconry
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 205 reviews
SMJ Falconry is a private Bird of prey centre based outside of Oxenhope, West Yorkshire. We are only open to pre-booked experience days. We also run educational school visits, displays and corporate days.
Reviewed By DaveP1948
Wonderful experience. Wide variety of birds - owls, falcons etc. Really infomative and friendly 1/2 day experience and fantastic opportunity to view and hold birds up close. Would highly recommend.
2. The Wonkey Donkey Visitors Centre
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 183 reviews
Reviewed By karenwD7011ZQ
The Wonkey Donkey centre is a must. Wether you have children, grandchildren or wether it's just you and your partner. It's such a special place. The staff are lovely and the donkeys well they are great. You can get up close to most of them and you can also adopt a donkey of your choice. Also when you visit they have a really nice cafe/tearoom where you can enjoy the homemade treats. I would absolutely recommend.
3. Gorpley Clough Local Nature Reserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 10 reviews
A Local Nature Reserve and Geological Trail with a car park, interpretation panels, seats . This is a lovely steep sided wooded valley with series of waterfalls along a tumbling upland stream, a natural gem tucked away. There is a reservoir with a dam at the top on open moorland . A great spot for nature watching and taking photos ,or having a picnic. The site is managed by Yorkshire Water
Reviewed By Bern_Hazel - Manchester, United Kingdom
We have walked up this Clough a couple of times now. We have found it is best to walk up to the top and then take the tarmac country road back down to join the main road rather than the the return above the Clough which is quite steep and dangerous. Try to research the natural history of the mills from the 1600's to 1800's. It will make the walk even more fascinating to think that hundreds of folk worked in this area in those times!
4. Pigs in the wood
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 22 reviews
Reviewed By 815mitzir
Interesting, exciting and a beautiful glimpse into the way humans and animals will interact in the future, I turned up a bit scared and ended up with a bigger heart, thanks to the great volunteers and the lovely pigs.
5. RSPB Fairburn Ings nature reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 388 reviews
Nestled between Leeds, York and Wakefield, Fairburn Ings is an exciting site for family activities and serious wildlife watching. Over the last 60 years it has transitioned from coal face to wild place; an ex-industrial site rich in heritage and an important site for breeding and wintering wildfowl.
Reviewed By briansY5157YC - Castleford, United Kingdom
Fairburn Ings is a great place to go if you just love birds and walking, plenty of hides to sit and watch the birds and well protected from the weather.
6. Townclose Hills Nature Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4 reviews
7. Hardcastle Crags
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 612 reviews
Reviewed By RAINYSNOWS
This is a great place to walk your dog .It is really beautiful - a wooded area with paths leading to different parts to explore .There is a big NT car park at the entrance , once parked you are free to amble at your own pace and enjoy spotting wildlife . good day out .
8. Ogden Water Country Park & Nature Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 604 reviews
Reviewed By 32tonyn - Batley, United Kingdom
What a lovely place to walk your dogs or just walk there’s free car parking and a small visitor centre serving teas etc and clean toilets on site you can walk around the reservoir or around the woods there are several paths a small stream and a waterfall too all paths are in good order plenty of bins to dispose of your dog poop if I had a gripe some of the coloured path markers disappear and become hard to follow well worth a visit
9. RSPB St Aidan's nature park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 184 reviews
St Aidan's is a perfect place to get close to nature and relax, unwind or exercise in a stress-free environment. Just outside Leeds on the banks of the River Aire, it's a big new space to walk, run, cycle, or ride your horse and enjoy the wildlife that surrounds you. It has a wide range of wild plants and animals, and is home to thousands of birds, brown hares, roe deer, wild flowers and insects - all living in a stunning landscape of vast reedbeds, grassland, woodland, lakes, ponds and islands. With a variety of circular paths of varying lengths and large areas of open grassland, St Aidan's is a great place for families to enjoy the outdoors, share a picnic and play together. Over 7.5 Miles (12 km) of footpaths, bridleways and cycle routes connect the surrounding communities, with links to national footpath and cycle networks. St Aidan's is a fantastic place for locals wishing to explore the wider countryside or as a destination for people who love nature.
Reviewed By beeeeeeb2015 - North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Visited here with my fella on our way home after staying nearby First time visit. The RSPB worker in the car park was helpful and informative Loads of various birds to spot and such a peaceful walk. Keep an eye out for some of the cyclists as they expect you to get out of there way as they don’t like to get their wheels wet.... Otherwise I fully reccommend a visit here and the old mining gear is a great site to see also.
10. The Donkey Sanctuary Leeds
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 125 reviews
The Donkey Sanctuary is situated in the beautiful countryside of North Leeds close to Harewood House and Golden Acre Park. The Sanctuary is home to 22 donkeys which visitors are welcome to meet and pet. The centre has a gift shop, young children's play area and a small cafe selling home cooked refreshments. The Donkey Sanctuary Leeds is open daily 10am to 3pm.
Reviewed By Scenic797753
Just returned from a magical weekend at the Leeds Donkey Sanctuary, visiting my adopted boy Billy ‘O’. What a truly wonderful place. It really is an idyllic haven for 22 adorable donkeys. The staff on duty - Cheryl, Amanda, Sam, Katy, Darren and Sara - are so welcoming and very knowledgeable. The love, kindness and care they give is second to none - the donkeys are treated like precious jewels. The centre is spotless, from the hygiene in the stable yards to the toilets and lovely café. So lovely to see the stables with their many heated lamps. Billy O loves to stand under his! The donkeys munched away happily looking for barley seeds in the hay troughs and were totally content - so Zen...They have several fields to roam in, a sand pit and an indoor activity arena to play in. There is a rota for playtime where small groups can interact with one another, playing with cones, ropes, buckets, watching themselves in mirrors (some hilarious reactions) or rolling in the sand. It was all wonderful to see. The donkeys do not ‘perform to order’, nor are they encouraged to ‘entertain’. The rule is very much ‘donkeys first, donkeys second, donkeys third’. They choose what they want to do (or not!). The centre also does sterling work helping vulnerable children and adults. The donkeys have so much empathy with humans and one another. Interaction can play a big part in building self-confidence. The centre also has a lovely little gift shop, a memorial garden and excellent indoor/outdoor play areas for the children. It’s a beautiful place full of love and fun. May God bless all the staff who do such wonderful work caring for the donkeys. We hope to visit as often as we may and cannot wait to come again. Carol J , Whitby
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