Discover Upton

When looking for a hotel in Upton, it is worth first considering what you would like to focus on during your stay. Upton Country Park is known for its landscapes and wildlife watching; surfaced paths and a fishing lake offer different ways to spend time in the park. A circular walk also explores the history of Upton Colliery. Nearby, in North Elmsall, stands the Church of St Margaret, with its octagonal bell tower. This gives you the option of considering nature, a walk with a historical connection and an architectural feature as different themes for your stay.

Landscape and wildlife at Upton Country Park

Upton Country Park includes wetlands, fish ponds, woodland, scrubland and grassland. Water, areas of vegetation and grassland form different elements of the landscape. The park was designated a local nature reserve in 2008. Nature watching here therefore focuses both on the varied landscape and on its specific conservation status.

The wildlife also offers particular points of interest for nature enthusiasts: the rare lesser marsh grasshopper is found in the park. You can also spot kestrels and hear skylarks singing there. Among the birds, the opportunities mentioned include both watching kestrels and listening to skylarks. The lesser marsh grasshopper adds a rare species to this theme. If wildlife watching is important to you, these species give your stay a specific focus without requiring you to follow a particular route or set itinerary.

Walking paths, fishing and getting your bearings

Upton Country Park has surfaced paths for walking. Another option is the fishing lake, which has 32 fishing pegs. You can choose between a walk and fishing—two different ways to include the park in your travel plans. The exact number of fishing pegs makes the offering more tangible than a general mention of fishing. Free parking is available at the Upton Country Park library building. If you are arriving by car, this is a specific point of reference for your planning.

Circular walk and the history of Upton Colliery

The easy circular walk leads from Upton Country Park via Upton Colliery and runs along the edge of the reclaimed former Upton Colliery site. The route combines a walk with a connection to the site's former use. Upton Colliery opened in 1927, giving the history of the landscape a specific point of reference in time. If you are choosing between nature and history, the circular walk is a distinct option: it draws attention not only to the site itself but also to the industrial past associated with the former colliery.

Architecture nearby

Another feature of cultural and historical interest is the Church of St Margaret in North Elmsall, which is located near Upton. Its octagonal bell tower is a distinctive architectural detail. This makes the church a different focus from the landscapes and wildlife watching at Upton Country Park, as well as from the historical connection of the colliery walk. The church offers a specific point of interest if you are also interested in architectural styles when planning your trip.

Planning your stay in Upton

The themes can be clearly distinguished: Upton Country Park offers landscapes, wildlife, surfaced walking paths and fishing; the circular walk adds the site's former use by Upton Colliery. Nearby, the Church of St Margaret adds an architectural accent with its octagonal bell tower.

Discover more destinations: Queensbury, Knottingley, Skelmanthorpe, Greetland, Clifford, Oakworth, Featherstone, Steeton

Return to the main travel overview: West Yorkshire.