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Overview
A large reservoir in North Leeds, West Yorkshire with a footpath along the southern edge. Also there is the Leeds country way,which goes towards the Harewood estate. Allow around 4-5 hours walk to get the most from a visit.
Whilst it is possible to do a circular walk of the reservoir, the path goes by the village of Eccup and not along the shore on the northern and western sides of the reservoir.
Birds
Notable Species
Over 150 species have been recorded for the site, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard, and all the usual Warblers and Tits. The reservoir has no reed edge,just open water. There are passage waders in autumn, but they tend to be visiting only, rather than staying for any length of time.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Eurasian Teal, Mallard, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Red Kite, Buzzard, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Common Pheasant, Common Moorhen, Common Coot, Eurasian Curlew, Black-headed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Eurasian Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Swallow, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Wren,Dunnock,Robin,Blackbird,Fieldfare,Song Thrush,Mistle Thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch,Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Linnet,Bullfinch, House Sparrow, Common Starling, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow
Other Wildlife
To do
Site Information
History and Use
To do
Areas of Interest
To do
Access and Facilities
About 5 miles from city centre, there are 4 ways to access the site. Take the A61 out of Leeds towards Harrogate, at the traffic-lights at Alwoodley Gates take the left turn onto Alwoodley Lane.
The main way into the site is via Goodrick Lane, a private road so park on Alwoodley Lane, which is located just east of Lakeland Drive. Follow the tarmaced lane down to the Lodge (private dwelling) and take the track to the right through the gates to reach the reservoir.
Another way onto the site from Alwoodley Lane is via a public footpath slightly east of the end of Sandmoor Lane, if coming from Alwoodley Gates this is before you reach Lakeland Drive. The footpath takes you across Sandmoor Golf Course and brings you out close to the Lodge at the bottom of Goodrick Lane.
Third way is to follow Alwoodley Lane to it's end and take the right turn onto King Lane, follow this road to the next junction (after a sharp right hand bend), and take a right turn at the junction and then immediately take another right turn onto Eccup Moor Road. Follow road for less than a mile to an obvious parking place on the right. There is a footpath here which takes you to the reservoir, follow the footpath until it comes to a stile at the end of a wood on the left, the path continues straight on and also to the left, take the left turn and follow until you reach the Lodge.
The last way onto the site is from the A61 and is only recommended to pedestrians as there is no parking allowed on the A61 and you cannot park on the access road. Rather than turning left at Alwoodley Gates, continue straight on towards Harrogate. After the roundabout for the Grammar School, look for the private road to Eccup Treatment Works on the left. Following this road down will lead to the dam wall and if you take the track on the left by the house you will reach the Lodge.
The site can be reached by public transport, there are bus stops by the end of Goodrick Lane and not far from the access road on the A61, no buses run along Eccup Moor Road.
Contact Details
To do
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Eccup Reservoir. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 21 March 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Eccup_Reservoir
External Links
Eccup Reservoir - Yorkshire Water
Entrance to Eccup Reservoir on Streetmap
Content and images originally posted by Wood Warbler
