Field Meetings
All are welcome to our field meetings, which give opportunities to pursue specific interests and learn about biodiversity in different habitats and the relationships between species involved. Field meetings are free to members. Non-members are welcome on payment of a day membership fee of £3 per person.
Reports of past excursions can be found on this website (under Trip Reports).
Please note the following precautions: stout footwear and suitable outdoor clothing should always be worn. Bring plenty of food and drink, with sun blocker and insect repellent when relevant. Members take part entirely at their own risk and are responsible for their personal safety and the security of their personal belongings.
Of course the weather can never be guaranteed, so some events may have to be altered slightly to work around any inclement precipitations! Also note that return times are approximate only.
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Notes for botanical field trips
Please email or ‘phone the organiser to say you are coming, this will make it possible to car share – many of the venues have little parking; also changes to the printed programme may have occurred. Please bring next-of-kin name and phone number.
Contact Details:
Contact: Kerry Morrison or Muff Upsall (see membership card or Members' Area for contact details)
Notes for ornithological trips run by Mike Smithson
All meetings are self drive / car share but the resumption of the coach trips is being kept under review. Please contact Mike Smithson beforehand if you intend to come (contact details in the Members' Area).
Please also supply Mike with an emergency name and phone number either prior to coming or when you arrive. As with most field meetings a packed lunch and suitable clothing is recommended.
Askham Bog
May 7, 2025 at 10:00 am - May 7, 2025 at 12:30 pm
Location: Park at the nearby Askham Bar Park and Ride car park and take a short walk to meet at the Reserve Car park, SE 57454792.
Price - £3, free to members
Led by Prof. Alastair Fitter. Alastair has an unrivalled knowledge of the biodiversity and the history of Askham bog .
Renewing the boardwalk has now been delayed until 2026 so the car park is available and we will use the boardwalks.
Please meet at 10,00 at the small YWT car park for this reserve, SE 5745 4792.
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Event Leader: Prof Alastair Fitter
RSPB Fairburn Ings
May 7, 2025 at 10:00 am - May 7, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Location: RSPB Fairburn Ings Car Park
Price - £3, free to members
All-day birding trip to Fairburn Ings.
Event Organiser: Mike Smithson
Event Leader: Mike Smithson
Birk Crag and Oak Beck
May 21, 2025 at 10:30 am - May 21, 2025 at 2:00 pm
Location: Meet at RHS Harlow Carr, Car Park 3, SE281542
Price - £3, free to members
With our Leader, Kevin Walker, expect to find a number of species that have escaped the RHS Harlow Carr gardens, such as Aconite leaved Buttercup, Ranunculus aconitifolius, Caucasian Pennycress, Pachyphragma macrophyllum, and Broad leaved Cuckoo flower, Cardamine raphanifolia.
This is a joint meeting with members of Wharfedale Naturalists. Early booking is necessary to ensure a place as numbers will be limited.
Book with Kerry.
Event Organiser: Kerry Morrison
Event Leader: Kevin Walker
Winskill Stones Nature Reserve and Lower Winskill Farm
June 5, 2025 at 10:00 am - June 5, 2025 at 5:00 pm
Location: tba
Price - £3, free to members
The Winskill Stones, near Settle, is a Plantlife site famous for its rich limestone flora. Andy Kearsey of Plantlife will lead us; in the afternoon we hope to visit Tom Lord’s farm at Lower Winskill, a working farm which is also farmed for wildlife, retaining rich natural habitats and also preserving the long history of the farm. (See this article).
There will be a fee for Andy’s time, TBA.
More details later. Book with Muff.
Event Organiser: Muff Upsall
Event Leader: Andy Kearsey
Farnham Mires SSSI
June 14, 2025 at 10:00 am
Location: Park by the protected verge at SE351604
Price - £3, free to members
A Saturday trip to see the botanical riches of this private site. There is very limited parking at the site so meet at 10:00 at SE351604 and park by the protected verge, where we will return for more interest after walking down the road to the Mires. This private SSSI has limestone grassland, calcareous fen and mesotrophic grassland. Former site for Bird’s-eye Primrose, but lots of botanical interest including Adder’s-tongue-fern, orchids, Parsley-leaved Water-Dropwort, etc.
Event Organiser: Muff Upsall
Event Leader: Kevin Walker
Bishop Monkton Ings SSSI
July 12, 2025 at 10:00 am
Location: Meet at the farm at SE35446633
Price - £3, free to members
A Saturday visit to these private Ings. Meet at 10:00 at the farm at SE35446633. We then walk west across the fields to SE34766574 which is the best area with tufa mounds. Another SSSI with calcareous fen with springs and tufa mounds. Botanically rich with Marsh Helleborine, Dyer’s Greenweed, etc.
Event Organiser: Muff Upsall
Event Leader: Kevin Walker
RSPB St Aidans
August 12, 2025 at 10:00 am - August 12, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Location: RSPB St Aidans Car Park
Price - £3, free to members
All day birding around St Aidans reserve.
Event Organiser: Mike Smithson
Event Leader: Mike Smithson
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