Community Action for Nature Exploring York and all The path through New Earswick EXPLORING passes through a nature area that it has to offer has managed by keen local volunteers never been so easy. from Community Action for YORK Nature. The group are striving to create and manage the area We’ve routes for all ages rich in wildlife that can be visited and enjoyed by all. and abilities, ready and waiting for you to explore. The River Foss Bug hunt! What critters can you find? The name ‘Foss’ is likely to have come from the Roman word ‘Fossa’, meaning ditch. Between Whilst you’re out and 1793–1806 a stretch of the river was canalised for a distance of 12m between York and Sheriff Hutton O Spider O Snail O Worm O Woodlouse about, remember let’s be bridge. This involved building several bridges, six locks, two reservoirs and straightening several respectful and patient of sections. Barges carried coal, lime, brick, potatoes, others. Let’s keep as safe corn, and even whale blubber on one occasion! O Millipede O Shrimp O Leech O ................. as possible by following Earswick Village Pond The village pond can be found social distancing measures. adjacent to the riverside footpath Haxby to the City Centre and close to Earswick Village Hall. It’s home to ducks, moorhens and beside the River Foss trail dragonflies which patrol the area around the pond and along the course of the river. Distance Est. Time 4.5 miles 1:30 hrs Did you spot any birdlife on your walk? O Blackbird O Greenfinch All Saints Church, Huntington O Blue tit O House martin A picturesque small church can be found on the If you’re planning to travel to, from O Bullfinch O Robin banks of the River Foss in Huntington. Although the and through York we want to make O Chaffinch O Swallow current church is relatively modern, there is evidence O Chiffchaff O Swift that a church has existed here since Saxon times. sure you have access to travel O Goldfinch O Whitethroat information that will help keep you O Great tit O Willow warbler Nestlé safe and be able to plan your journey. O Great-spotted O Vulture!? woodpecker O ............................. Along Haxby Road is the Nestlé factory. Originally Rowntrees, the You can explore information about active travel company was founded in Castlegate and its benefits by downloading our Cycle route Fish in 1862 and has since invented maps, Walking Guides and information on On a sunny day, shoals of fish can easily many kinds of sweets including our popular Urban Cycle Skills be seen swimming in the river. Fish Aero, KitKat and Fruit Pastilles. Sessions at www.itravelyork.info found in the river include pike, dace, Rowntree’s was taken over by For further information on chub, gudgeon, roach and perch. Nestlé in 1988 but continues to how to explore York safely invent new kinds of sweets here. go to www.visityork.org Arrowhead Bats Look out for the plant which can be Look out for old trees with a hollow found in the River Foss. It has leaves trunk – they’re often used for shelter shaped exactly like the head of an by bats. Bats in York can often be arrow and is a favourite resting spot found at dusk, they eat insects and for dragonflies and damselflies. are harmless to people. S Haxby to the City Centre t Accessibility r e n EARSWICK s The walk is accessible to a l beside the River Foss trail l POD wheelchair users between R d Church Lane, Huntington and Layerthorpe. The footpath passes through 1 Start 5 some meadows which A1237 2 could be muddy at times. Start from Folks Close Cross Church lane at this 1 3 d L e a g bus stop (bus 13). Turn point and continue to R n la e d il rp i V right into Landing Lane. follow the footpath beside o n e h g h Buses t L T the river. w n o T 4 To reach the start of the 2 North Ln walk take bus 13 to Haxby, 6 Landing Lane. At the end of Look for a public footpath H a the walk take bus 12 to Station sign on the left. Follow this The footpath now passes xb y Road and change buses there path which leads to the through New Earswick. R d to complete your journey. River Foss. The footpath briefly follows Willow Bank at this point. 3 5 New Ln Cross the River using a 7 small bridge, then turn EARSWICK right following the riverside The route returns to ALL AINTS H SCENTD ARDEN Church Ln u CHURCH n path as it heads south. being an off-road footpath. t i n g t o Earswick Pond n 8 H 6 MONKS ROSS a W R can be seen at x d by il R lo SHOPPING ARK this point, home The footpath passes d w B under Link Road. a to ducks, moorhens n k and dragonflies. 7 HUNTINGTON Just a short distance OMMUNITY SPORTS from the riverside M 4 a A1237 l is New Earswick 8 t o n Cross the river using the Nature Reserve. The R bridge. The bridge is quite reserve was formerly HEWORTH d FOS ISLANDS narrow and has steps. a brickpit and is now GOLF LUB CYCLE ATH Then follow the footpath a wildlife-rich pond. 10 as it passes under the Outer Ringroad. The footpath passes H 9 a under the Foss Islands xb y y a Alternatively, remain on w R s The footpath passes cycle path, before ending d s the east bank of the River o Yearsley Swimming Pool on Huntington Road. F and follow a track until at this point, before 9 reaching Church Lane. passing under Huntington The former railway line NEW ARSWICK H Cross an old brick bridge A1036 was converted into an NATUR RSERVE un Road and Fossway. ti and continue along the ng 10 off-road cycle path and to west bank of the river. n R Nestlé – one is now popular with d The exit into Church Lane of the largest walkers and cyclists 11 is currently too narrow Eboracum Way sweet factories looking for a for wheelchair users. in the UK, is located close quiet way to NESTLE Lowther St M o cross the city. F to the River Foss along COFECTIOERY n o k Look out for water s g Haxby Road. The factory s a voles here. They have B te was originally opened by a disappeared from many 11 n Rowntree’s in 1890. k parts of the country but Bus stop to City Centre. YORK T JON can still be seen Bus 12. Catch a bus UIVERITY along the here to return to the River Foss. city centre..