GOLDEN ACRE PARK

Description : A wide variety of wildlife can be seen at Golden Acre Park and through the neighbouring Breary Marsh, including water voles, mink, waterfowl, migrant warblers, nuthatches, moorhen, coots, great crested grebe, freshwater crayfish (on the Red Data List of endangered species) and the site is even listed in the Invertebrate Site Register for West Yorkshire as a site of potential importance of notable species.

Golden Acre Park has a diverse woodland within a framework of formal parkland and marshland that was originally opened as an amusement park in 1932.

The majority of the park and woodland is laced with a network of formal paths and boardwalks. There are some notably large trees, especially beech and it contains a wide variety of common and exotic broadleaves (including many varieties of sorbus) and conifers. The new area of broadleaf woodland adjacent to Arthington Lane was planted by "The Men of Trees" in 1985.

A programme of planting larch and douglas fir has begun which will eventually replace the mature larch next to the Arthington Lane car park.

There are a large number of features within the park including a large lake, a demonstration garden for vegetables and flowers, a cottage garden, an arboretum, limestone and sandstone rock gardens, a cherry orchard, a fountain, a pinetum, an ornamental pond and a display house, all within easy reach of the café.

Access and facilities : Extensive parking is available off the A660 Otley Road and off Arthington Lane. The park can be accessed from the Otley Road car park by taking the path under Otley Road, while turning right prior to the underpass will take you to Breary Marsh.

The park contains picnic tables, gardens with seating and a café with toilets.

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