Managed by City of York Council in consultation with Friends of Hob Moor.

Access

Open access. There is a surfaced foot/cycle path around edge of site. The other paths are informal.  The site can be accessed from Tadcaster Road past the Hob Moor allotments and also from Holly Bank Grove, Hob Moor Drive, Green Lane, Windsor Garth, Thanet Road and North Lane. The cycle path can be accessed through a gateway on Thanet Road.

How to get involved

For more information about the site or how to get involved, contact the Friends of Hob Moor by telephone 01904 703970.

Description

Hob Moor Local Nature Reserve is part of the Knavesmire, one of York's ancient commons. The land is unimproved pasture which is traditionally grazed over the summer months by cows.  This has ensured that a special floristic habitat thrives and provides valuable breeding habitat for skylark and meadow pipet, both of which are endangered species in the United Kingdom.

Hob Moor Local Nature Reserve has some great archaeological features, including two types of ridge and furrow. The broad medieval type which covers the majority of the central areas, and the narrow Napoleonic ridge and furrow, is evidence of cultivation on site up to recent times.

Across on the Little Hob Moor is the Plague Stone and the Hobstone.

Wildlife

Birds - meadow pipit, skylark (several pairs breed each year). Whinchat, wheatear, yellow wagtail (pass through during migration periods). Merlin (recorded most years).

Wildflowers/Grasses - buttercup, bulbous buttercup, common sorrel, pignut, common bent, cats ear, harebell, heath bedstraw, tormentil, sheep's sorrel, heath grass, English elm, guelder rose, hazel.

Bus

Frequent buses run from the city centre. Alight at the Pulleyn Drive stop. See our webpage for bus services in York.

Parking

There are 2 parking spaces at the North Lane access point.