Welcome to the Harrogate & District Naturalists' Society
Since 1947, the Harrogate & District Naturalists’ Society has been inspiring people to engage with the wonderful wildlife found within this beautiful part of the world. We are a friendly group of natural history enthusiasts with a wide range of members, from complete beginners to wildlife professionals. Together we celebrate, observe and record the natural world in towns, gardens and the countryside surrounding Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon and the whole of Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Get Involved
From heather moorlands and broadleaved woodlands to
species-rich hay meadows, waterways and reservoirs, the Harrogate District is full of special habitats for wildlife. There are many ways you can get involved, ranging from becoming a member to submitting a sighting or venturing out and visiting local wildlife sites.
Become a Member
Joining is is easy and your annual membership fee gives you access to a range of benefits. Our members regularly get together to share their knowledge and experience with each other and join in lively discussions. You will also have the chance to get involved with the running of the Society, from wildlife recording to volunteering at Farnham Gravel Pit.
Latest wildlife sightings
Blackcap
Male Blackcap in garden.
Fox on Leeds Road Stray
Fox walked from Leeds Road Stray across the A61 to Trinity Road and into the corner residence at 2.30am Couldn't ...
Hawfinch
Two hawfinches seen this morning in top of tall tree behind Fountains Hall.
Our next events
Spiders in the Garden
Gardening for wildlife has become a major topic in recent years but there is still an emphasis on attracting bees and butterflies. Spiders are equally important. Geoff will explain some of the biology, and often bizarre lifestyles, of a selection of the common spiders to be found in Yorkshire gardens, and how to encourage them to take up residence.
March 5, 2025 at 7:30 pm
Friends Meeting House, Harrogate
Trees of Valley Gardens
Sue Wood has a very detailed knowledge of these trees. A group of members enjoyed a walk Sue led here before,, in the summer of 2021.
March 8, 2025 at 2:00 pm - March 8, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Please park in Cornwall Road. There is a pedestrian entrance into the Gardens, from Cornwall Road, approx SE293551. We will meet alongside the Magnesia Well.
Reports of our most recent trips
Twig Workshop, Staveley - 28 January, 2025
A workshop on the identification of twigs in winter was offered to members for the first time this year. It was led by John Killingbeck of the Woodland Trust and assisted by Alan Hunton, a Veteran Tree Recorder. Muff very generously opened her house for the event so...
Christmas Field Trip and Lunch - 10 December, 2024
A field trip in the middle of December is always a gamble, and this one narrowly escaped storm Darragh – the weather was relatively mild, windless and dry. 19 of us – a record – met at the Ripon City Golf Club car park and set off on one of Colin’s mystery...
Latest News
Upper Ouse Conservation Trust gains celebrity support
A new conservation group has been formed to help secure Townend Field in Great Ouseburn. It has great biodiversity potential with the Ouse Gill Beck, reed beds, woodland and...
YNU September newsletter
The Yorkshire Naturalists Union, to which HDNS is affiliated, publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, the latest of which can be found on their website at...
Farnham Gravel Pit
Farnham Gravel Pit is a site rich in wildlife. Designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC), this 80 hectare area located one mile from Knaresborough includes two lakes and a range of habitats. Closed to the general public, members of the Society have special permission from the landowners to visit the site
Locations
There is amazing diversity of habitat and wildlife in our area. Here are some of our favourite locations for you to explore.
