Littlethorpe

Yeadon Tarn

Rufford Park · 18 miles

A small lake occupies a low-lying spot between the town of Yeadon and Leeds Bradford Airport in West Yorkshire. Covering roughly 7 hectares, the water body is fed by land drainage on its north-eastern side and releases water via Yeadon Beck, which joins the River Aire at Esholt. The surrounding geology – shales capped with boulder clay – allows the tarn to retain about 238 000 cubic metres of water at an elevation of 196 metres above sea level. The tarn’s origins trace back to at least the mid-fourteenth century, when it appears in records as Yedonmarre, a name derived from Old Norse. Historically it served industrial purposes, being shown as a fish pond on early maps and later supplying water to dye-works mill ponds in the 1890s. In 1925 the local council purchased the dam, cleared the perimeter, laid footpaths and renamed the site Yeadon Tarn, a term that replaced the earlier local names Yeadon Dam and Yeadon Moor Dam. During the Second World War the water was deliberately drained to deny enemy bombers a visual reference, before refilling in the post-war years. Recreational use today includes sailing from Tarnfield Park, where the Leeds Sailing and Activity Centre and Yeadon Sailing Club operate, as well as carp fishing, kayaking and model boating. The Environment Agency’s 2000 works created a conservation zone on the north bank and installed windbreak baffles to curb erosion. Wildlife such as cormorants, goosanders, mallards and signal crayfish are recorded, while periodic management of Canada geese addresses aircraft safety concerns. Access is provided by a car park within Tarnfield Park and a regular service of bus 747 along the adjacent road; no specific admission fee is mentioned.

York Gate Garden

Adel East Moor · 18 miles

Gothic Temple

Bramham · 18 miles

Hell Wath Local Nature Reserve

Studley Roger · 1.2 miles

Grassland and scrub adjacent to the River Skell.

Ice Houses

Studley Roger · 1.9 miles

The pair of Studley Royal ice houses date to the mid 18th century and were probably used until the early years of the 20th century when refrigeration equipment became widely available.

Tent Hill

Aldfield · 2.5 miles

A Tent was placed on top of the hill as it was the fashion at the time the gardens were created.