Bradford Pennine Gateway
Bradford Pennine Gateway is a national nature reserve around Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It covers 1,274 hectares (3,150 acres) across eight sites in and around Baildon, Bingley, Burley, Harden, Haworth, Shipley, Stanbury and Ilkley.
It is the first national nature reserve in West Yorkshire and is part of King Charles III’s “King’s Series,” which will create five new NNRs each year from 2023 to 2027, bringing the total to 25.
The reserve was created in May 2025 and is managed by Bradford City Council. It helps protect wetlands, heathlands and peat bogs, home to species such as adders, short-eared owls, golden plovers and curlews. More than 40% of the area is newly protected, with 738 hectares (1,820 acres) designated as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI).
One part of the reserve is Bingley North Bog, a wetland formed over 10,000 years ago by retreating glaciers. Work began in August 2025 to clear paths, restore the site and remove invasive species. Bingley North Bog hosts curlews, herons, bats, kingfishers and dragonflies.
Bradford Pennine Gateway is hoped to support field studies and research by local colleges and universities. It marks a significant step for nature in Bradford, a city of about 500,000 people that is considered among England’s more nature-deprived areas. It is the seventh reserve to be developed in the King’s Series.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 20:46 (CET).