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  • St Aidan's

St Aidan's

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Address
RSPB St Aidan's Nature Park, Astley Lane, Leeds LS26 8AL
Grid ref
SE399287
What3Words
whirlpool.wiggles.joints

Just a stone’s throw from the centre of Leeds, St Aidan’s is a stunning park to explore. Whether you’re on foot, on your bike, riding your horse or have your camera at the ready, take advantage of the amazing views and wonderful wildlife including bitterns, avocets, black terns, skylarks and meadow pipits.

Plan your visit

Opening times

  • Nature reserve: open daily, dawn-dusk.
  • Visitor Centre: open daily
    10am-5pm, 1 March-31 October.
    10am-4pm, 1 November-28 February.
  • Car park: open daily
    6am-8pm, 1 March-31 October.
    6am-6pm, 1 November-28 February.
  • Refreshments: available daily
    10am-4:30pm, 1 March-31 October.
    10am-3:30pm, 1 November-28 February.
  • Toilets: open daily
    10am-5pm, 1 March-31 October.
    10am-4pm, 1 November-28 February.

Festive opening times

  • Christmas Eve: nature reserve open dawn-dusk; car park open, 6am-6pm. Cafe and toilets open, 10am-3pm.
  • Christmas Day: nature reserve open dawn-dusk; car park open, 6am-6pm. Cafe and toilets closed.
  • Boxing Day: nature reserve open dawn-dusk; car park open, 6am-6pm. Cafe and toilets closed.
  • New Year’s Eve: nature reserve open dawn-dusk; car park open, 6am-6pm. Cafe and toilets open, 10am-4pm.
  • New Year’s Day: nature reserve open dawn-dusk; car park open, 6am-6pm. Cafe and toilets open, 10am-4pm.
  • All other days in the festive period are open our usual winter opening hours as above.

Entrance charges

Free entrance to RSPB members
Yes
Adults
Free but donations to support the work of the RSPB are welcome.
Children
Free but donations to support the work of the RSPB are welcome.
Car park cost

There are no entry fees to the nature reserve, but the following parking charges apply:

  • RSPB members: FREE
    (please display your membership card face down in your windscreen)
  • Non-members: £4 per vehicle
  • Blue badge holders: FREE
    (please display your badge in your windscreen)
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
  • Nature trails

Accessibility

  • Full accessibility information (external website)

How to get here

By train

The nearest railway station is Woodlesford, which is 3 miles (5km) away or Garforth, which is 4 miles away. There is a taxi firm based at Garforth station and taxis can access Woodlesford.

By bus

Buses run to Allerton Bywater from Leeds City Centre and Castleford (bus service 167). The nearest bus stop is Bowers Row stop number 45010157. This is 0.2 miles from the visitor centre.

By bike

The nearest Sustrans Cycle routes are the National Route 67 - Trans Pennine Trail Central, Yorks and Derbyshire and the National Route 697. Both of these run right next to the site.

By road

Leave the M1 at junction 46 towards Garforth follow the Selby Road/A63, turn right at the roundabout onto A642, turn left after 1.4 miles onto Astley Lane, the reserve is on the right after 1.5 miles.

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.

Other ways to get there

St Aidan’s can be accessed via several cycle routes. The Linesway from Garforth is connected directly into St Aidan’s from the East and the Transpennine trail connects onto the site from 3 access points on the south side.

Get directions from Google Maps
View on What3Words
RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Information for dog owners

Dogs are welcome on the public footpaths and bridleways around the nature reserve. Please keep to the designated rights of way only.

Please keep your dog on a lead and under close, effective control at all times, due to the sensitive wildlife, habitats and livestock here. We know that the countryside is a dog walking paradise. It’s important to remember the special surroundings here are wonderful havens for rare wildlife. Even if dogs are very well behaved, wildlife and livestock can easily become startled by a loose dog they perceive as a predator.

Disturbing wildlife does more than simply causing it to move away; it uses up their energy, decreasing their chance of survival regardless of season.

Thank you for protecting the special wildlife here by keeping your dog on a lead and under close, effective control.

  • Dogs are welcome in the recreation area, indicated in grey hatching on our site maps.
  • Dog water bowls and tie-up area are available at the visitor centre.
  • Sorry, dogs aren’t permitted in the visitor centre other than assistance dogs.
  • Dogs die in hot cars, please do not leave your dog in the car when visiting us.

Group booking information

Bringing a flock? We welcome group bookings.

Please notify us of your visit in advance.

If you are a nature tour leader, we would love to work with you to make the most of your trip for your guests.

For all group visits, please contact us on 0113 232 0529 or by emailing staidans@rspb.org.uk so we can arrange your visit to your specific requirements.

Schools booking information

We have no formal educational facilities here at St Aidan's. However, at our nearby Fairburn Ings nature reserve, just 10 minutes away, we offer an exciting programme of curriculum-linked outdoor education sessions, visit our school trips information for details.

Also, check out our fantastic range of resources for teachers, or take on the Schools’ Wild Challenge.

Downloads

Find your way around St Aidan's. PDF, 714Kb.

Map of RSPB St Aidan's reserve

Contact St Aidan's

  • RSPB St Aidan's Nature Park, Astley Lane, Leeds LS26 8AL
  • staidans@rspb.org.uk
  • 01132 320529
  • @RSPBAireValley
  • Find us on facebook

What will you see?

Our star species

    Bittern illustration

    Bittern

    Listen to bitterns boom as they lurk amongst the reeds between March and May.

    Adult black-headed gull

    Black-headed gull

    The black-headed gull colony at St Aidan’s can reach approximately 1000 pairs in spring and summer. It’s a spectacle for all the senses and provides cover from predators for rarer birds.

     Skylark illustration

    Skylark

    Throughout spring and summer skylarks can be heard singing overhead as they search for mates and defend territory; flying so high they almost disappear, before descending on open wings.

    Marsh Harrier male in flight

    Marsh harrier

    Marsh harrier can be seen soaring and hunting all year round at St Aidan’s, watch for them quartering over the reedtops and wet grassland looking of prey.

    Short eared owl

    Short-eared owl

    In winter, short eared owls can be seen hunting along the hillsides. Sometimes described as giant moths, these silent hunters glide on languid wingbeats.

Seasonal highlights

  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter

Everything is starting to sing, pair up and build nests. Skylarks are starting to sing and bitterns starting to boom. Watch great crested grebes dance on the lakes and the black-headed gulls start to gather.

See broods of gosling nestled in. The nesting islands are a mass of activity as common tern and black-headed gull chicks hatch. Iridescent dragonflies bask on and around the trails and the grasslands are alive with the bright colours of flowers, bees and butterflies.

Thousands of wading birds pass through the Aire Valley on their migration, such as green sandpipers and black-tailed godwits. Large numbers of starlings start to gather and as the autumn progresses, the murmurations build. Watch huge flocks of starlings dance and swoop down into the reedbeds just to the side of the path to go to sleep safely for the night.

Large flocks of wigeon graze on the wet grassland. Flocks of wintering waders take to the skies when a peregrine appears on the lookout for a meal.

About St Aidan's

Habitat

The main trails at St Aidan's take you amongst a variety of habitats including reedbed, wetland, meadows and woodland.

Conservation

St Aidan’s Nature Park is managed by the RSPB for visitors and wildlife, on behalf of Leeds City Council.

Site information

Enjoy panoramic views of the site from the visitor centre, where the sunsets can be incredible. There are 12km of trails, plus the transpennine trail which passes the nature park on the southern side. 

Latest blog posts

  • International Women's Day: Campaigning for Nature since 1889

    As we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, we’re reflecting on the incredible contribution the founding women of the RSPB made, and how their efforts continue to be vital part of our conservation mission today. In 1889, Emil...

    Posted 08/03/2022 by jennifer.sharp
  • A Year at St Aidan's - 2021 in review

    As another year draws to a close, it feels like an appropriate time to reflect on the ups and downs of life at RSPB St Aidan’s. A lot has happened over the last 12 months, but I’ll try to capture some  highlights and lowlights over the following para...

    Posted 23/12/2021 by jennifer.sharp
  • Celebrate your inner Robin on our adventure trail this Christmas

    We’re delighted to be partnering with Netflix and Aardman on Robin Robin, a half-hour, stop-motion, festive story for the whole family, about a young robin trying to fit in. It’s debuting on Netflix on 24 November – get the date in your diary!  To ce...

    Posted 18/11/2021 by jennifer.sharp
  • St Aidan's and the Long-toed Stint - a Warden's-eye view

    Last week was an exciting and hectic week at St. Aidan’s. As we’re now settling back to some level of normality, I’d like to share a few of my reflections of our rare visitor. I was driving round the eastern reedbed on a sunny Friday afternoon, when ...

    Posted 21/10/2021 by jennifer.sharp
Read our blog

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

For more information on events and to book tickets, please visit events.rspb.org.uk/staidans

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