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Description
In an industrial and populated area, Skelton Lake is a small oasis of woodland scrub and carr, and a large open water lake just north of the River Aire and Aire and Calder Navigation canal. Lots of birds to see all year round, including Grey Heron and Little Egret. There used to be a landfill site located to the east of the lake, and in winter both Glaucous Gull and Iceland Gull were worth looking out for on the plateau or bathing in the lake, but these are rare now.
The surrounding woodland supports breeding Great Spotted Woodpecker and Eurasian Green Woodpecker as well as the occasional Willow Tit but the latter is now vary scarce in the wider area. The Lake has recorded all Grebes recorded in the UK - Pied-billed Grebe Black-necked Grebe Red-necked Grebe Slavonian Grebe Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe but only the latter two are a regular.
Now that the Skelton Lake Service Station is open on the M1, there is a safe and secure place to park, and there is good access from there down to the lake. Certainly worth having a look if passing that area.
Details
Access
Parking is at Leeds Skelton Lake service station at junction 45 of the M1 motorway. It is free for 2 hours. Click on the P in the map for directions.