Wonderful wetlands and where to enjoy them

Our wetlands are wonderous places – so precious for our wildlife and spellbinding for our senses at any time of year. Each one is different – a floodplain, a remnant of a huge marsh or fen, a wild oasis reclaimed for nature from industry – but each of these delicate ecosystems needs protection and careful management to support the abundant life that depends on it.

Wetlands are designed to soak up and hold water, releasing it much more slowly than a flowing river or stream would. This means they are important flood defences which can absorb excess rainwater and surface water during periods of wet weather, storing it and letting it trickle out slowly to prevent flash flooding.

Our wetlands are also vital for our wildlife: 40% of the world's species rely on wetlands in some way. Yorkshire’s wetlands are both ancient and new; some are historic remnants of a wilder landscape, now surrounded by urban sprawl, whilst others are reclaimed from industry, representing a new start for nature and wildlife.

Yorkshire is home to wetlands from the wildlands of our upland peat bogs to our lowland floodplains, some large, some small. There is plenty to explore and even more wildlife to enjoy once you start looking – here are some of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s favourites this season:

North Cave Wetlands

From quarries and lorries to avocets and bitterns, the ongoing transformation of this working sand and gravel quarry into a shining example of a 21st-century wetland is truly extraordinary.

Here you’ll find flat, surfaced paths to roam easily through grassy meadow and alongside some of the reserve’s many pools – make sure to keep an eye out for the wealth of wetland birds, the last of the season’s dragonflies and butterflies, and the occasional rare visitor. A sixth hide opened this summer, dedicated to local war hero Dennis Wood who was killed in 1942. This is the perfect place to get close to nature and take all the time you want to enjoy quiet contemplation. Visitors will also welcome the composting loos on site, and a brew from the much-loved butty bus!

North Cave Wetlands has around 2% of the national breeding population of avocets, one of Yorkshire’s biggest sand martin colonies and up to 2,000 pairs of black-headed gulls – also a nationally significant number. In winter, it’s a paradise for wildfowl, welcoming large flocks of ducks and geese. Water rails and bitterns sometimes stray out of the reedbeds to the water’s edge – listen out for their characteristic booming noise, which sounds like someone blowing over the top of a bottle.

Potteric Carr

This huge, diverse wonderland for wildlife really does have something for everyone – great facilities, fun activities, space to explore in joyful peace, and so much wildlife you won’t know where to start.

The variety of habitats and numbers of wildlife here on the urban fringe of Doncaster might seem remarkable today, but this low-lying landscape is a remnant of a vast fenland that once stretched all the way to the coast.

There’s an incredible variety of birds: wildfowl, warblers, waders, woodpeckers, willow tits… and frequent surprises during spring and autumn migration. Potteric Carr is also home to 20% of Yorkshire’s breeding bittern population, nestled away on the far reaches of Huxterwell Marsh, and an extraordinary wealth of fungi in the autumn.

Potteric is a place where you can really spend a whole day. There are miles of tracks to wander and explore through woodland, wetland and grassland, and a shop and café to tempt you at the end – our chip butties are legendary!

Ripon City Wetlands

A large pool of water reflects the blue sky, with reeds in the foreground

One of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s newest reserves, nestled in alongside Ripon Racecourse, this is a smaller gem that really packs a punch in terms of value for visit. Discover many wild delights around the reserve as you follow the trail – perhaps while watched by an inquisitive stoat – from the Riverside Lagoon viewing screen across one of the larger pools, to the Canal Reedbed hide by the towpath. Ripon City Wetlands is a particularly lovely place to watch the sunset, surrounded by the sound of nature.

We have been lucky enough this year to host several visiting ospreys, prospecting over the recently-erected osprey platform on the reserve; we are hopeful that in time they may choose to breed here! Snipe, curlew and teal are amongst those bedding down for the cold winter ahead, and as autumn sets in, redwings drop down to feast on hawthorn berries.

Help protect Yorkshire's wonderful wetlands

red kite in flight over a wetland nature reserve — Red kite at North Cave Wetlands (c) Steven Clipperton

Sadly, the future of Yorkshire’s wetlands is far from certain.

Although we are home to nationally-important wetland habitats, including the enormous Humber catchment and our upland peatlands, the recent State of Yorkshire’s Nature report revealed that we have lost 80% of Yorkshire’s wetlands to draining and canalisation.

Recent heatwaves have meant Yorkshire’s reserves are becoming vital refuges for species migrating further north in search of safe breeding space. Where once our remaining wetland reserves could self-regulate through natural processes, we must now manage their water levels throughout the year manually – and climate change, increased flooding and less predictable weather will make this increasingly difficult and more expensive for the charities that manage these spaces.

It is clear that we need wetlands – as our climate and weather become more unpredictable, our wetland wildlife struggles and the effects of flooding apply further pressure.

Leaving more space for these amazing habitats will create more space for the rare and often endangered wildlife that they support – and will make all of our lives better in the long run, too.