Managed by the Friends of St Nicholas Fields with the help of City of York Council.

Access

Open access. The paths are accessible by wheelchair.

Facilities

• York Environment Centre, a sustainable community centre with many energy saving features and sustainability display. The centre is open most days subject to staffing
• base of community recycling and composting projects
• toilets in York Environment Centre
  

Description

This 24-acre site, was designated a  nature reserve in 2004. In the Middle Ages, this land was open fields, grazed by the cattle belonging to the monks from St. Nicholas Hospital. Since then it has been a brick works, the city rubbish dump and an unofficial wild site. Now reclaimed and home to a wide range of species, developing habitats include meadows and woodland.

How to get involved

For more information about the site or how to get involved, contact the Friends of St Nicholas Fields or by telephone 01904 411821.

Wildlife

Birds - goldfinches, chaffinch, bullfinch, brambling, siskin, robin, wrens, sparrows, dunnocks, blackbirds, song and mistle thrushes. Migrant redwings can be seen in winter. 

Butterflies - common blue butterfly, holly blue butterfly, orange tip butterfly, ringlet butterfly, meadow brown butterfly.

Bus

Buses frequently run from the city centre. Alight  at Alcuin Avenue or Melrosegate. See our webpage for bus services in York.

Cycle / Pedestrian entrances

Access to the site is along the Foss Islands Cycle Route or from Lawrence Street via Bull Lane.

Parking

There is a small car park. The entrance is from Melrosegate via Rawdon or Harrington Avenue.