Askham Bar Solar System Greenway

Embankment with artwork of butterflies on a retaining wall

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.

A group of people on the cycle path are pulling balsam plants out of a grassy area

Acomb Landing

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.

 

 

The Sidings Garden

A very well hidden children’s play area. This site is reached via Renshaw Gardens and then a footpath to the left of Thompson Place. As well as the usual kinds of children’s play equipment this site also features a basketball practice area and a small hillock which gives excellent views of the local railway lines and all the accompanying flowers. If you are lucky it is possible to see deer feeding beside the railway tracks.

Cared for by:
City of York Council