Short birdwatching visit · Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Fen Bog Nature Reserve
- Tier
- Good stop nearby
- Best season
- May–September recommended; spring Whinchat and Meadow Pipit, autumn Merlin
- Headline birds
- Merlin · Whinchat · Meadow Pipit
- Parking
- A small entrance car park is off the A169 at Ellerbeck; leave the gate and track clear.
- Hides
- An open public viewpoint overlooks the mire.
- Step-free
- Not stated by the operator
Ellerbeck beside the A169 between Pickering and Whitby
Fen Bog offers a North York Moors stop around wet heath, valley mire and moorland birds. The Trust names Whinchat and Meadow Pipit in spring and Merlin and Stonechat in autumn, giving the public viewpoint different seasonal interest. The bog itself is fragile and can be very deep, so watching must remain on the permitted routes. A rough track leads from the small entrance parking area to the viewpoint. Beyond it the paths may be steep, uneven and unsurfaced. Sheep graze the site, and dogs must stay on leads and on public footpaths.
Birds and seasons
- Merlin · Headline bird — Autumn Source for Merlin
- Whinchat · Headline bird — Spring Source for Whinchat
- Meadow Pipit · Headline bird — Spring Source for Meadow Pipit
Plan your visit
- Hides and viewpoints
- An open public viewpoint overlooks the mire.
- Paths
- Use only the permissive footpaths; a rough track reaches the viewpoint and later paths can be steep and uneven.
- Toilets
- Not stated by the operator – check before travelling
- Parking
- A small entrance car park is off the A169 at Ellerbeck; leave the gate and track clear.
- Dogs
- Dogs must remain on leads and public footpaths.
- Access notes
- The rough viewpoint approach and steep, unsurfaced paths require a route-specific mobility assessment.
- Step-free access
- Not stated by the operator – check before travelling
Getting there: Approach on the A169 between Whitby and Pickering, south of Eller Beck Bridge and the Goathland turning. Use the Trust’s small parking area and walk to the viewpoint rather than crossing the bog.
Sources
Social preview: original typographic artwork by Does Your Duck Quack.
Nearby special trips
- Filey Dams Nature Reserve · 18.9 straight-line miles
- Hartlepool Headland · 30.0 straight-line miles
- Wheldrake Ings Nature Reserve · 34.9 straight-line miles
Continue birding nearby
Nearest full guide: RSPB Bempton Cliffs, 25.5 miles away in a straight line.
- Filey Dams Nature Reserve · 18.9 miles in a straight line
- Teesmouth: North Gare and Seaton Common · 27.4 miles in a straight line
- Hartlepool Headland · 30.0 miles in a straight line