Fairburn Ings

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Address
RSPB Fairburn Ings, RSPB Fairburn Ings Visitor Centre, Newton Ln, Castleford WF10 2BH
Grid ref
SE451277

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, especially gadwalls.

Plan your visit

Opening times

  • February – October 9.30am - 5pm (car park shuts at 8pm).
  • November - January 9.30am - 4pm (car park shuts at 4pm).
  • Closed Christmas Day.

Entrance charges

Free entrance to RSPB members
Yes
Adults
Free, but a charge for non-members of £4 per car.
Children
Free
Car park cost
  • Entry is free of charge to members all year.
  • There is a charge for non-members of £4 per car.
  • Parking is free for members and disabled badge holders, but for non-members only the first 30 minutes are free.
Other discounts
  • Joint entry for both Fairburn Ings and St Aidan’s is £5 per car for non-members.

Facilities

  • Visitor centre
  • Car park
  • Toilets
  • Accessible toilets
  • Baby changing
  • Pushchair friendly
  • Refreshments
  • Picnic area
  • Binocular hire
  • Guided walks
  • Viewing point
  • Shop
  • Educational facilities

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

The closest train station is Castleford, 3 miles away.  

By bus

 Buses run - infrequently - to Fairburn and Ledston villages.

By road

From the A1(M) leave at J42, take the A63 towards Leeds, follow signs for Fairburn on the A1246. From the M1 come off at J47. Take the A656 south towards Castleford, after 4 miles turn left onto Newton Lane, the visitor centre is 2 miles along the road on the right.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Get directions from Google Maps
RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Schools booking information

With a range of habitats for your pupils to explore and plenty of activities for them to take part in, your class will have an enjoyable and memorable experience which brings them up close with our natural world. We've got a visitor centre with indoor space available for classes, a boardwalk, pond-dipping platforms and much more for you to explore!

To find out more, take a look at the list of the programmes and contact us to make a booking. Each programme is designed to last two hours. Sessions run from 10am - 12pm and 12.30 - 2.30pm. Two programmes can be combined to make a whole day visit. Find out more on our school trip pages.

What will the weather be like?

14 degrees, Sunny day

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 204Kb

Fairburn Ings trail guide

Contact Fairburn Ings

UK Nature Breaks

Why not stop over with UK Nature Breaks to make the most of your visit and what nature has to offer. 10% of every accommodation booking will be donated to the RSPB.

Book now

What will you see?

Our star species

Recent sightings

Tree sparrow Passer montanus, perched on small branch

Find out about recent wildlife sightings at Fairburn Ings.

read more

Seasonal highlights

In spring, the reserve fills with birdsong as pairs establish territories and prepare to breed, stroll the trails and listen for the distinctive song of the chiffchaff. Watch for a flash of blue behind the kingfisher screen and in front of Charlie’s hide.

In summer the wet woodland of the Discovery trail fills with bright dragonflies. Young herons and little egrets will have fledged from The Moat and will be stalking the water edges looking for a fishy meal.

During autumn, watch for green sandpiper and black-tailed godwits among the thousands of waders passing back down. Large numbers of fieldfares and redwings gorge themselves on berries in preparation for winter.

In the winter, goldeneye, smew and goosander can be seen displaying, while large flocks of wigeon graze on the wet grassland. Charms of goldfinch and groups of redpoll chatter in the alder trees of the Discovery trail.

About Fairburn Ings

Habitat

Shaped by a long history of coal mining, Fairburn Ings protects a mixture of habitats. Wetland areas created by subsidence include open water, wet grassland, reedbed and wet woodland. While other habitats, including dry grassland, deciduous woodland and lagoons, have been restored on the former coal spoil tips.  

Our site team carefully manages these habitats to keep Fairburn rich in wildlife. In recent years this hard work has resulted in successful breeding by some of the UK’s rarest and most beautiful wildlife including; bittern, bearded tit, Cetti’s warbler, little egret and spoonbill.

Conservation

Wet grassland on the reserve supports breeding waders such as lapwings, redshanks, snipe and curlews, and is important for breeding and wintering wildfowl - especially gadwalls. We are managing this habitat by grazing it with cattle and maintaining the high water levels. We plan to restore more grassland by cropping for hay and cutting back scrub.

Our freshwater system holds breeding wildfowl, water voles and other wildlife. We are coppicing willows to enhance the fen vegetation around open water areas. We are also maintaining islands and rafts used by water birds, including breeding common terns. We are expanding the reedbed for the benefit of birds such as breeding reed buntings and bitterns, as well as harvest mice and invertebrates.

We are working with our partners to manage the restored coal tip. Measures include mowing and grazing the dry grassland to help breeding skylarks, grey partridges and lapwings; improving the shingle around lagoons for breeding little ringed plovers, ringed plovers and lapwings; and enhancing the farmland areas for passerines such as tree sparrows and linnets. We are also improving water control, introducing fencing, conducting patrols, and monitoring plants and invertebrates.

Partners

Supported by WREN and Veolia Environmental Trust.

Site information

There is something for the whole family at Fairburn Ings, from feeding the ducks to pond dipping. Why not recharge the batteries while the kids let off some steam in the play area? Winding trails pass through woodland, wetland and grassland, offering the opportunity to see a wide variety of wildlife.

Latest forum posts

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Latest blog posts

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What people are saying about Fairburn Ings

What a lovely place! Today was my third visit to Fairburn Ings and I will continue to go back. It is relaxing, peaceful and a place for people of all ages. Thank you to the volunteers who were in the visitor centre. They were very informative and answered all my questions enthusiastically! A wonderful place to enjoy nature at its best!

Abbie Fairfield

This reserve is brilliant. Beautiful goldfinches on the feeding station and a great spotted woodpecker kept poking it's head in. Not to mention the very friendly staff who, despite the blistering cold snow and rain, went out with us to help us see a long-eared owl. I definitely recommend it to everyone who wants to see wonderful wildlife up close.

Stephen Chambers

Being local I have visited many times over the last 40 years. I feel the visitor centre is a great asset and should have been built many years ago. I actually worked in one of the mines that created the ings. It is a fantastic oasis in the middle of industrial Yorkshire.

Ian Jones

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

Pond dipping season runs April to October and is a fantastic way for families to get hands on with nature. Hire your kit from the centre and head to the ponds to explore the underwater world and the creatures who live there. £2 per kit and free to members. Go out on a mini-beast safari with a wildlife explorer backpack, packed with activity sheets, bug pots and everything you need to find and identify creepy crawlies. Year round, £3 to hire and free to members.

There are other free activities available all year round, including the Discovery trail quiz which changes throughout the year and is a great way to keep big and little kids learning and engaged on the trail. Take on the Wildlife Challenge out in the play area! Meet our giant dragonfly, build your best den and climb the treehouse. The challenge changes with the season and a special certificate is waiting at the end.

Check the blackboard outside to see when volunteer led walks will be leaving. These are informal walks to find out a bit more about Fairburn and the wildlife which lives here.

Events

Saturday 4 May
Binocular and telescope open day
West Yorkshire
Sunday 5 May
Binocular and telescope open day
West Yorkshire
Friday 24 May
Dusk Bat Walk
West Yorkshire
Saturday 1 June
Binocular and telescope open day
West Yorkshire
Sunday 2 June
Birding for Beginners
West Yorkshire
More events

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