Environmental education forms the basis for this trail through a numberof museums in West Yorkshire.
The Green Trail starts at theNational Coal Mining Museum for Englandlocated on the A642 halfway between Wakefield and Huddersfield witheasy access from both the M1 and M62.
Coal has been mined in Yorkshire for many years; at least since thetime of the Romans. The National Coal Mining Museum is based in thehistoric colliery of Caphouse, situated within the Yorkshire Countryside.The museum aims to give an insight into mining times, both past andpresent, and it also provides an opportunity for study of the surroundingenvironmental issues.
Photo: The National Coal Mining Museum is especially good for education. Picture courtesy: NCM
In the museum you can go on the underground tour down into themine. Here you can study the fossils, rocks and soils and learn aboutthe formation of coal. Back on the surface you can take time to walkaround the museum and examine the issues of pollution, coalextraction and the effect of mining on the local environment. In thegrounds of the museum a nature trail takes you through a maturemixed woodland travelling along the banks of a stream.
From the National Coal Mining Museum we head north toBagshaw Museumin Batley.
Bagshaw Museum is situated north of the wooded area of Wilton Parkin Batley. The museums collections cover the theme of local andnatural history; and exploring the world beyond. Within the museumyou can explore 'The Enchanted Forest', a recreated rainforest in theheart of the museum and see it's collections of natural history, includinga rock pool exhibit. In the grounds of Bagshaw Museum, you can visitthe Butterfly Conservation Centre containing the largest collection ofbutterflies and moths in the area and walk the 35 acres of parkland.
Photo: Within the museum you can explore 'The Enchanted Forest', a recreated rainforest in the heart of the museum.
Now we head a short distance north, along the A652 to Birstall toOakwell Hall Country Park.
Oakwell Hall is set in 100 acres of country park, covering a wide rangeof habitats including woodlands, wetland, ponds and streams. Thereare nature trails , a permanent orienteering course as well as a wildlifegarden and the discover Oakwell exhibition that introduces children tothe environment of a country park.
From Birstall we join the motorway and head into Leeds andTemple Newsam House.
This Tudor-Jacobean mansion is set in 917 acres of parklandlandscaped by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown in the 1760's and containsseven specialist gardens. Contained within the parkland is Home Farm,a working farm, with rare breeds of livestock. There is also a nature trailthat takes you around the grounds of the House, through woodland andover streams.
Finally, we head north again, through Leeds and along the A61 toHarewood House.
Harewood's grounds cover around 6000 acres. This is divided into thehouse, with its Designated collections, and public parkland. The parkincludes a three and half acre bird garden that houses over 120species of birds. These include a glass sided pool for underwaterobservation and a lake. A nature trail takes you around the groundswhere there are opportunities for water and woodland study and ponddipping and minibeasting. Animal handling and talks are also available.
