Each month we turn our focus upon a different county, highlighting some key ancient tree sites and identifying some other places of general interest for tree-lovers. Other than Woodland Trust properties, admission or parking charges apply for many sites, and as access may be prohibited or limited to certain dates or times, it’s always advisable to check with the site owner or with the local Tourist Information Office before making a visit.

This month we turn our attention to the East Riding of Yorkshire, a county which for a short period was termed North Humberside, much to chagrin of many residents who didn’t wish to give up their Yorkshire identity. Of the four Yorkshire counties this one is probably the least well known and visited, yet in the Yorkshire Wolds it boasts some of the best unspoilt countryside in the UK, let alone the region. With historic market towns, wonderfully sleepy villages, excellent seaside resorts and plenty of visitor attractions, it has the aura of a sleeping giant.

The main city is of course Hull – or Kingston upon Hull to be precise – which is a historic maritime city. The waterfront and marina provides a focal point, not least because here you’ll find the world’s only submarium – The Deep. Just a few minutes’ walk away is the city centre, with an attractive shopping centre, fine old buildings and award-winning museums and galleries. The presence of William Wilberforce is noticeable throughout the city, and a combination of maritime heritage and marine science gives it a cultural feel all of its own.

Up the coast, there’s the busy holiday destination of Bridlington, with award-winning beaches, promenades, a historic harbour, an ancient priory church and, of course, plenty of family entertainment. Nearby are Flamborough, with its headland and lighthouse, and Bempton with its famous rocks. These locations are popular with tourists and bird-watchers alike.

As you head down the coast, you’ll find the popular Holderness seaside resorts of Hornsea and Withernsea. At the peninsula is Spurn Point, a designated NNR and a haven for thousands of birds. Consequently – for the adventurous – this one of the UK’s best locations for coastal bird-watching! There’s plenty here for others interested in flora and fauna too, and a lighthouse, so this is one place which does get very busy! In general, this coastal area is great for camping and caravanning holidays, with lots of good sites and plenty to explore both along the coast and inland. In fact, just a short drive will take you into the wonderful scenery of the Yorkshire Wolds.

The Yorkshire Wolds has a gently rolling landscape and a peaceful ambience which has not yet been blighted by the curse of the modern tourist industry. The undulating hills are complemented by rivers, woodland and valleys which positively sparkle with wild flowers.

There are several interesting historic market towns in the Wolds too. Driffield is known as the capital of the Wolds and holds one of the UK’s largest agricultural shows each year. Take particular note of the 500-year old high tower at All Saints’ Church, the fine Victorian buildings and the 19th century canal. Beverley has narrow medieval streets, an imposing 13th century Gothic Minster with the world’s largest collection of stone carvings, and an equally impressive church. St Mary’s Church has a superbly decorated ceiling showing the kings of England, and look for the carving of a pilgrim hare – it’s thought to be the basis of Lewis Carroll’s White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland! You’ll also find a historic market cross, a Dominican Friary, many fine town buildings and a renowned art gallery, and if you time your visit to Beverley right, you might also experience one of the regular music festivals or to take in the races.

Market Weighton is famous for the Kiplingcotes Derby, England’s oldest flat race. It has fine Georgian and Victorian streets. William Bradley is well remembered in the town. He was born in 1787 and became England’s tallest man at 7 feet 9 inches. He also weighed 27 stones! The town’s Londesborough Park was once owned by George Hudson, the railway king who transformed York. He’s also commemorated by a footpath, which heads from the town to Beverley. Finally, to the west of the Wolds there’s Pocklington, where you’ll find a magnificent church with a 15th century tower, an arts centre and museum, and the canal.

There are numerous blissful villages in the Wolds too, with ancient churches, coaching inns, greens and duck ponds wherever you look. Exploring the Wolds on foot or cycle is easy too – there’s a 79-mile national trail called the Wolds Way!

Other popular attractions in the county include the Humber Bridge, which spans one and a half miles across the estuary, and the nearby country park; Fort Paull, built in 1542 for Henry VIII and now a museum with an exciting labyrinth of tunnels; the magnificent Georgian architecture, Minster and marsh at Howden; the aeroplane museum at Breighton; the ancient church and museum at Hedon; the museum at Skidby Windmill; the refurbished Valley Gardens and the lighthouse museum at Withernsea; the mere, folk museum and shopping experience at Freeport in Hornsea.

So, where in the East Riding of Yorkshire might you see ancient trees, ancient woodland and other fine treescapes? Well, sadly woodland is at premium here. It accounts for around just 2% of the county. Despite that, there are some quite fabulous places to visit.

Let’s begin with Millington Wood near Pocklington, one of the last surviving wooded dales in the Wolds and considered the county’s finest wood for botanical interest. This ash woodland is located in Lily Dale, typical of the dry chalk valleys found in the Wolds. Records show that the woodland here dates back to at least 1086. Unfortunately, many old ash trees were removed and replaced with beech and spruce in the 1960s for commercial reasons. A small area of ancient ash woodland has survived, and today it’s one of the best examples of its kind in the area. Not surprisingly, this is a designated SSSI and Local Nature Reserve (LNR). If you head to the top of the wood, you’ll be rewarded with some great views. Visit in spring for an excellent display of bluebells and ramsons, or in summer to see giant bellflowers, which stand proudly in the verges. These can grow up to five or six feet tall! If you’re fortunate, you may see also see the smaller, nettle-leaved bellflower, which is rarely found so far north. Trees planted in the 1960s are now being removed, and the timber is being used locally to make charcoal.

The Woodland Trust manages several noteworthy woodland sites in the county. Firstly, you don’t need to travel down under to visit Melbourne where the ancient semi-natural woodland of New Covert and Park Woods (SE7344) is located. These linked woods are low on visitors but high in wildlife. As well as woodland, you’ll find marshland at this superb location. The main circular path takes you from the car-park past a pond into the wet woodland of New Covert. This area is predominately birch, willow and alder. Note the old ditches beside the path. These served a dual purpose – providing drainage and marking the wood’s boundaries. On entering the adjoining Park Wood, you find yourself in a lovely area of ancient woodland. It’s now dominated by birch, but look carefully for the gnarled, old oak trees which remain here, as they provide more than just a glimpse into this woodland’s past.

Secondly, you’ll also find ancient semi-natural woodland at Nut Wood and Wauldby Scrogs (SE9830). Parts of this woodland date back to the 13th century. It’s known locally as bluebell wood, so no prizes for guessing when would be a particularly good time to visit! Look for other ground flora including wood anemones, ramsons and dog’s mercury too. There are lovely walks here, and adjacent to this woodland you’ll find Constantine Wood, recently created to provide an extension and a buffer zone to the existing ancient woodland. Thirdly, there’s Little Wold Plantation (SE9332), an area of mature woodland on a hillside, which is popular with walkers, as the long-distance Wolds Way footpath heads around the southern boundary of the wood. The woodland is mainly beech and ash, and deadly nightshade – a rarity in this area – can be found here in abundance. There are fine views too, across the Vale of York and the Humber Estuary to North Lincolnshire. Finally, on the outskirts of Hull, the broadleaved woodland at Oppy Wood (TA0533) is well worth a visit.

The county has a number of excellent country estates, with superb parkland, wooded areas and numerous old trees. Home to the Constable family, Burton Constable Hall is an impressive Elizabethan house, which was built for Sir John Constable in the mid-16th century. It was lavishly upgraded by William Constable in the early 18th century, and he was responsible for many of its collections and interior design. His cabinet of curiosities includes rocks, minerals, shells and scientific instruments. Chippendale furniture, stained glass, paintings and hand-painted wallpaper are amongst the other items of particular note within the house. The grounds were landscaped by Capability Brown, and as a result there are lovely walks across the estate, which includes parkland, a lake, woodland, pasture and meadows. You may well see roe deer and brown hares in the ancient parkland, which has recently been undergoing restoration, to support wildlife and re-create a variety of habitats. As you cross the parkland, you’ll see some fine old trees. Burton Agnes Hall (TA1063) is another fine Elizabethan house, which has remained in the same family for several centuries. It is renowned for the ornate carvings in its Great Hall, its Long Gallery, its modern impressionist paintings and its colourful gardens. Again, there are some fine old trees here.

Sledmere House near Driffield on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds is a splendid stately home, renowned for Joseph Rose’s plasterwork and interior design. There’s been a manor house here since medieval times, though the present house was built in the 18th century. This site has been home for several centuries to the Sykes family, which is well-known locally for its work restoring churches and other heritage buildings throughout the county. The house is notable for its 100-foot long library and for its Turkish Room. It also has a huge pipe organ, which is played for visitors on certain days. Outside you’ll find an 18th century walled garden, and the surrounding landscape was designed by Capability Brown. There are some lovely walks through the deer-park, where deer still roam, and through the woodland. Look out for a number of splendid old trees in the parkland. Sewerby Hall, managed by the local authority, is another fine Georgian house. This grade I listed property was built in the early 18th century by John Greame. A number of extensions were made subsequently, including an orangery, bow wings and a portico. The first floor includes a collection of Amy Johnson memorabilia, donated by her father. As well as its well maintained gardens, there’s a museum and art gallery and a children’s zoo too. There’s also a woodland trail through a lovely dell, mainly of ash, horse chestnut and sycamore trees. Look too for the remaining elm trees, and if visiting in summer watch out for butterflies, including painted ladies and red admirals.

Wassand Hall is an impressive regency house, which was built by Thomas Cundy in 1815 and contains fine collections of period paintings, silver, porcelain and furniture. The estate has remained in the ownership of one family since the early 16th century. The grounds include walled gardens, which possibly date back to the 16th century, together with some wonderful parkland and an area of woodland. If you follow the park walk, you’ll get some great views of Hornsea Mere, which also belongs to the estate, whilst the woodland walk takes you past a small lake, thorough an avenue of Norwegian maples into a small wood. Lastly, Burnby Hall is another stately home renowned for its gardens, notably because it has the largest collection of water lilies in Europe. The lakes cover a full two acres. The hall’s owner, Percy Marlborough Stewart, left this horticultural collection to the people of Pocklington, as well as his collections of illustrations and other artefacts from around the world. Again, the grounds include some lovely old trees.

Now, if you enjoy rocky headlands, then Flamborough Head’s the place to go. Danes Dyke is a massive ditch and earthwork, which runs for around three miles. The southern end follows a natural ravine, whilst the northern end is man-made. Despite its name, it wasn’t built by the Danes; in fact its origins are unclear. Some think that the earthwork might date back to the Neolithic Age, the Stone Age or the Dark Ages. There’s a lovely walk along the cliffs to Danes Dyke, providing some great views over Bridlington Bay and out to sea. It passes the remains of Danes Dyke House – built from Frances Elizabeth Cottrell Dormer in 1873 – and its garden. The walk also heads into woodland, where you’ll find many tall beech and sycamore trees. One area of woodland, managed by the local authority, is a designated LNR. It’s thought to be ancient ash woodland. Look here for primroses and celandine in the spring, or visit for a fungi foray in autumn. Jews ear is often found here.

Here’s one final woodland location of interest. Allerthorpe Wood (SE7547) near Pocklington is managed by Forest Enterprise. This small area of pine forest is planted on the on the last remnants of lowland heath in the north of England. On a misty morning, this is one of the most evocative, atmospheric places you could wish to visit! It’s a popular walking place for local people, with plenty of all-weather paths. Birch, holly and an occasional oak can be found amongst the conifers, with willow in the wetter areas. Part of the site, Allerthorpe Common (SE7647) is leased to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. You’ll find a combination of wet and dry heath, mire, grassland and woodland here. The heath is notable for its populations of nightjars, adders and lizards. Some 200 different species of moth and 150 species of spider have been recorded here. Look by the ponds for water beetles and for dragonflies and damselflies like the black darter and the four-spotted chaser. If you’re looking for even more, why not combine a visit here to Allerthorpe Wood with a walk through the nearby Weldrake Wood.

If you know of other ancient trees in East Riding of Yorkshire or if you wish to suggest a site for inclusion in next month’s article, Focus on West Yorkshire, we’d love to hear from you! Please e-mail us, providing as much information as possible and preferably including an Ordnance Survey map reference. We’re also very keen to build up a library of photographs of ancient trees and ancient tree sites. Can you help? If you’re willing to share your treescapes and tree portraits, please e-mail them to us, remembering to provide location details for each photo, with an Ordnance Survey map reference if possible. We’d love to include them in a future article!