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St Aidan's

RSPB St Aidan's

Location: RSPB St Aidan's Nature Park, Astley Lane, Leeds LS26 8AL

Website:

Telephone: 01977 628191

Wheelchair/Pushchair accessible: There are various different routes, inclines and terrain but most are completely accessible. Accessible toilets & baby change.

Facilities:

For a full list of routes, facilities and more check out their website!

We love St Aidan's! We've visited many times now and walked different routes around the reserve and connecting routes taking us there also. Alba loves it when it's muddy and there's lots of puddles! There's a huge picnic seating area, lots of different walking routes and so many birds to see.

As RSPB members we enjoy visiting lots of different reserves including St Aidan's & Fairburn Ings, both of which are local too us.

Alba's review: My favourite part of St Aidan's is the dragline (aka the oddball) because of the history and it looks really cool and I like the structure! I also really like all the different species of birds-my favourite bird to see are the Greebes. I love the wildlife and all the nature too.

FUN FACT: The dragline was brought to the UK from the US in 1954, when it was the second-largest of it's kind in the world, weighing 1,220 long tons! It then moved to St Aidan's in 1974 and was used to mine surface coal from the area which is now occupied by the nature park.

Pontefract Castle

Location: The Lodge Castle Chain, Pontefract WF8 1QH

Website:

Wheelchair/Pushchair accessible: There are accessible paths around many areas of the castle. Un accessible areas due to stairs include-

the keep mound, dungeons, outer rampart path, bakehouse and brewhouse, St Clement’s Chapel and the upper sally port. Accessible toilet & baby change.

Facilities:

For a full list of routes, facilities and more check out their website!

Pontefact Castle

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We are super lucky to live just a 20 minute stroll away from Pontefract Castle and so we visit often! So much to explore & learn, there's a great playground and a café too. In the summer months there's often events on too with re-enactment's which Alba loves.

Alba's review: Pontefract Castle is awesome! I really like visiting there and it has loads of history and many different areas to explore. I like reading the many information boards to learn new things too. I LOVE the playground..my favourite thing is the rope swing!

FUN FACT: After William the Conqueror became king, he rewarded his loyal friends and allies by giving them land. One such friend was Ilbert de Lacy , who had fought for William at the Battle of Hastings. Ilbert was given the Honour of Pontefract, a large estate in Yorkshire. It was here, on the site of an Anglo-Saxon manor, that he built Pontefract Castle in 1070.