A village close to Yorkshire's shortest canal and with its own nature reserve

Allerthorpe is a beautiful village surrounded by nature.
St Botolph ChurchSt Botolph Church
St Botolph Church

Sitting just outside Pocklington, it shares the parish with the nearby hamlet of Waplington.

At one end stands the church, dedicated to St Botolph and the village has a busy family-owned pub, The Plough Inn, as well as a village hall and nature reserve.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A traditional-looking village, the main road is flanked by wide verges which could almost be classed as greens and natural spaces are a theme in the village and its surrounds.

The family owned Plough InnThe family owned Plough Inn
The family owned Plough Inn

Behind the Plough Inn is Allerthorpe Woods, popular with walkers and to the west is Allerthorpe Nature Reserve.

The low heathland reserve covers 15 acres and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The reserve plays an important part preserving a section of what was prevalent before tree planting schemes began in the 1960s.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The site is thriving. One of the last places in Yorkshire where Marsh St John’s Wort thrives, the reserve supports a wide variety of water beetle and dragonfly species as well as being a great place to see adders and lizards.

Nature lovers can also take a circular walk through the village and along Yorkshire’s shortest canal at nearby Pocklington. The canal is only 9.5 miles long and only five of those are navigable.

The canal,which opened in 1818, was not allowed to fall into disrepair entirely.

A team of dedicated volunteers took it on and it is now a jewel in Yorkshire’s crown. Run by its own amenity society, the canal is home to three Sites of Specific Scientific Interest.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Or if the open water appeals there is Allerthorpe Lake, a different type of water attraction altogether. Offering camping and lodges which attract holidaymakers and day visitors, the lake is home to a water assault course, water sports and open water swimming.

However, those wanting somewhere a little bit quieter can visit the secluded Conifer Lake fishing site where there are also camping pitches.

In the village itself, there is an active community which took on the challenge of raising funds to refurbish the village hall.

Housed in the former schoolhouse which closed its doors in 1958, the committee had been actively fundraising for more than six years before successfully applying for a lottery grant and then a WREN grant. The new-look village hall is now home to a number of groups and events.

Allerthorpe can also boast a famous resident in machinist and optical instrument maker, Thomas Cooke. Born in 1807, a memorial stone in his name sits near the church gate.

Related topics: