BSG PHOTO TOUR OF THORNE MOORS PART 3 WILL PITS WOOD TO GOOLE MOOR AND RETURN VIA INKLE MOOR 

This is the third tour and covers part of the northern half of this massive reserve from Will Pits wood along to Goole Moor Tramand return via Long Meadow and Inkle Moor. Thorne Moors alone (without Hatfield Moors) is 1918ha or to put it in perspective about 2 miles by 3 miles! 

 

From the last photo on BSG Photo Tour 2, we had left Natural England’s shed and were in Will Pits heading around the S side of the wood and back out on to the E-W limestone road. From here in the next few photos we will head back E along the road to its T junction. From Natural England’s shed we could have just gone straight on along the road to the T junction. 

 

 

From the track round the S side of Will Pits we are coming back onto the E-W road Will Pits (opposite old ride, see next photo).

Looking straight across the road as we come back out on it, we are looking down the Old Ride in Will Pits. This is another route we could take towards Goole Moor.

Back on Fisons’ Road, where it runs E-W through Will Pits looking W (towards the colliery).

There are many glades in Will Pits, good for viewing deer.

As we head E to the T junction we pass the Ditch Ride through Will Pits.

At the junction this is the view along the road heading N to Bank Top and Goole Moor.

View at T junction, looking S.

Another view at T junction, looking N.

View of a glade from Bank Top.

View of Crowle Moor from Bank Top.

Looking down Blackwater Dyke, which is the county boundary between South Yorkshire and East Yorkshire.

 

 

 

Start of Goole Moor Tram, from Bank Top (near sheds/pump). This tram is over 2 miles long but can be very good for birds, not far from here is where BPW found a Stone Curlew. The pools are good for wintering Jack Snipe and Snipe, though for the former you need to splash in to flush them.

Will Pits from the N side. This area at the start of Goole Moor Tram is an excellent place to view Hobbies in summer, with sometimes up to 20 together recorded.

View of Goole Moor.

Looking S from Goole Moor Tram shows how vast this area is.

There are many pools on Goole Moor of all sizes. They can produce good birds including wader and ducks, and sometimes more surprising things!

More pools.

A view along Goole Moor Tram looking W.

View from Goole Moor Tram (GMT).

Another view from GMT.

 

View along GMT.

Another view along GMT.

Soft Rush and cotton grass.

Larger pools Goole Moor.

Another view of large pools.

More open landscape, Goole Moor.

Goole Moor Nightjar habitat.

Yet more pools Goole Moor. These pools are quite shallow and many but dry up before the end of summer.

Birch scrub Goole Moor.

Large pools W end GMT, where sometimes Black-headed Gulls nest.

Back on the road at the W end of GMT. The road here runs N-S, we are heading S towards Green Belt.

Snaith and Cowick Moor is now to our right (W) side as we head S.

Road back towards Green Belt.

Pools viewable from Fisons’ Road N as we walk S. This is a good area for waders such as Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Curlew and others.

More pools.

Another view of Snaith and Cowick Moor.

One of the best areas for waders, site of the Lesser Yellowlegs.

At the S bend in Fisons’ Road. The drain here is Shearburn and Pitts Drain and runs right to Will Pits wood nearly 2 miles E.

 

Following the bend around will bring you along the E-W stretch of the road at N side of Green Belt.

Instead of following the road to the E-W stretch N of Green Belt, we are taking a track from S bend in road to Paraffin area.

View from track to Paraffin area.

This brings us to the Paraffin gate, which we can get around the side of.

Longthorpe’s Meadow, looking N.

Longthorpes Meadow to Long Meadow, looking S. The line of trees along the top of the photo is Long Meadow, we walk this way and over the barbed wire fence. Push through the hedge onto the raised track and follow W to Inkle Moor.

Long Meadow hedgerow track is an ancient hedgerow dividing Inkle Moor and the field to the N. Follow this banked hedge alongside Inkle Moor, to the Inkle Moor track close to the railway.

There is a large reedbed on Inkle Moor, S of the Long Meadow hedge, this is good for all the regular reedbed birds.

The track is easy to follow and straight, on your left is the reedbed and on your right a farmers field.

View of reedbed.

There are some enormous trees here, mainly very old Hawthornes.

More views of the ancient hedgerow.

 

 

 

The biggest Crab Apple I have ever seen.

More big Hawthornes, nearly at end where we join Inkle Moor track near railway.

 

 

 

Nearly there.

 

 

 

Here we come out at Inkle Moor track near railway. It is right by Inkle Moor Pond here, now we turn left towards the colliery, passing ‘the drop’ a dip in the shingle path (from old tram or narrow gauge railway).

Inkle Moor track back to colliery area. You actually emerge from this densely overgrown path on the E side of the colliery road railway bridge. Keep going a little way and you will see the colliery road and buildings.

Walk alongside the road towards the buildings and back to the Public Right of Way to the parking area at the Recreation Grounds at Grange Road, Moorends.



Photos and text by BSG.