Railway to Greenway Project

For hundreds of years, the favoured route from Selby to York was by boat or barge along the River Ouse. Then, in 1871 the railway line was opened. It remained the East Coast Main Line from London to Edinburgh until the creation of the Selby Coalfield forced its diversion in 1983. Today you can follow the route on foot, by bicycle or on horseback.

The Railway to Greenway project charts the history of this route, exploring the impact of the changes on local communities. Its an ongoing project with regular new additions. We will shortly be adding some fascinating history of the impact of the railways on the City of York.

Comments or additional material always welcome.

​Watch our Greenway video and York TV interview about the project, or visit the Railway to Greenway website for more information.

​Askham Bar Access

Works to the access near the Askham Bar Park and Ride will go ahead in March as part of the council’s Tadcaster Road contract. 

Apart from improvements to the access from Tadcaster Road the tunnel will be cleaned up and the surface renewed as far as the new football pitches. After that York Greenways intends to put a new sign facing the road and install a mural under London Bridge.

WildYork map is unable to show the extent of the Solar System Greenway cycle and walking route. Please visit the Greenways website for more information about the route.

This interesting site is a mixture of brownfield and river and floodplain habitat along the Ouse. It has open mosaic habitat including sandy spoil piles and scrubby grassland. Large willows dominate the woodland canopy and below extensive Himalayan balsam and gaint hogweed. A more open floodplain grassland area to the north includes tansy and marsh woundwort, more balsam. This Yorkshire Water site is not publicly accessible but is currently being managed as part of the Green Corridors York project.

Severus Hill in Holgate is a place of environmental, natural and historical significance.
A mile outside of the city walls it stands 35 metres above sea level and visible from much of the surrounding area. Formed in the last ice age, with historical connections to Roman Emperors, the World War II blitz, and Victorian day trippers. The site has been locked up and left in recent years and nature has reclaimed, forming an island oasis – a green lung in the heart of York, providing a sanctuary for wildlife and nature to thrive. It contains calcareous grass, rare in the North, making it a Site of Interest for Nature Conservation (SINC).
The site is currently owned by Keyland Developments (linked to Yorkshire Water) however the site has recently been put up for sale. The Friends of Severus Hill are a community led not for profit organisation (awaiting Charitable status). There primary aim is to work towards the acquisition and further preservation of Severus Hill, ensuring its environmental, natural and historical significance are protected and celebrated for future generations.

Cared for by:
Currently untended – donate to community buyout

Things to help out with here:
Campaign and Support

Contact:
friendsofseverushill@outlook.com

As part of the planning permission for the construction of York College the creation of a new wildlife site was required. This former potato field is now an important location for a wide variety of wildlife including common spotted orchids, northern marsh orchids and common fleabane. This is a site in need of a name and is currently known only as York College Forest School. Created around 2007 the site has a number of trails which pass through grassland, scrub and young woodland. A pond on the site is home to great-crested newts. Other than the plants, little is currently known about the wildlife to be found here.

Cared for by:
York College

Well off the beaten track Scoreby Wood is a mixed woodland with a good variety of woodland flowers. Ferns are particularly noticeable along the bridleway that runs through the middle of the woodland. The wood is close to Scoreby, a now lost medieval village, where pottery and building foundations were found in the 19th century. Footpaths in the area lead to Hagg Wood, Dunnington, Kexby and Stamford Bridge.

Details of how to reach Scoreby Woodland can be found in the Exploring York leaflet 0- Stamford Bridge to Kexby https://www.itravelyork.info/downloads/file/57/stamford-bridge-to-kexby

A little known site with two seasonal ponds now mostly surrounded by trees. Great crested newts, toads and more than 20 kinds of aquatic beetle have been recorded in the area. A path around the edges of the pond has been planted with colourful meadow flowers. A small grassy recreational area with goal posts is adjacent to the ponds.

Cared for by:
Unknown

A little known pond in the middle of a housing development. The pond is surrounded by trees and no information about the local wildlife has been recorded. As some of trees are quite old the site may attract some interesting wildlife.

Cared for by:
Unknown

A small play area suitable for younger children

Cared for by:
Unknown

This small site is off Fulford Road, past the Steiner School. A path from the Millennium Bridge runs through the allotments, so this site is easily accessible from the South Bank area by foot or bike.
The allotments are located between the river and the Fulford Cross nature reserve, so there’s birdsong and a peaceful atmosphere. It’s a friendly site with a mix of new and long-established gardeners.

Cared for by:
York Allotment Charitable Incorporated Organisation (YACIO)

Stillingfleet Lodge Garden and nursery is an organically managed, wildlife friendly, family garden close to York. The gardens are very colourful in the summer and have an abundance of wildlife. The owners have put up lists of all the kinds of wildlife that can be seen in the gardens. There is a small admission charge to visit the garden. The plant nursery can be visited without going into the garden. A cycle rack is available for anyone visiting the gardens by bike.
Please note that no dogs are allowed other than assistance dogs.
The Gardens can be reached by catching the number 42 bus to Drax from Piccadilly.
Stillingfleet can also be reached by cycling along the York to Selby cycle path and taking the B1222 road which passes York Marina, goes through Naburn and then continues to Stillingfleet.

Cared for by:
Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens & Nurseries