July brings with it the end of school, ever-greening verges, and eternal hope for hotter weather.

With the longest day just gone and dusky evenings with light still lingering past 8pm on clear days, there is plenty of time to get out and enjoy the sounds, aromas and sights of summertime.

Perhaps you have some booked time off and have no plans for it, or perhaps you have a family and are trying to work out what to do to keep them away from screens for the entire break.

Whatever your situation, as summer stretches endlessly ahead here are some top tips for getting outdoors and spending time in nature...

In York

York is home to some fantastic green spaces and great places to spot wildlife. A wander along the Ouse or Foss in high summer is great for spotting damsel and dragonflies, and particularly quiet ramblers might be lucky enough to see a water vole, otter or kingfisher going about their day.

A bask in Museum Gardens surrounded by sweeping gardens might bring some local garden birds, butterflies and moths or even the elusive tansy beetle, and other sweeping green spaces from the Knavesmire to St Nick’s nature reserve or Walmgate Stray host their own wild charms perfect for a lunchtime or evening walk.

York also has several nature reserves within very close proximity which each host their own fantastic array of unique wildlife.

Askham Bog nature reserve - Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s first reserve and over 70 years old - comes alive in the summer with displays of wetland wildflowers including marsh orchids, marsh thistles and water violets.

A wander along the half-mile boardwalk – fully accessible – gives eagle-eyed visitors the chance to spot brightly-coloured dragonflies such as the migrant hawker darting amongst the pools, the occasional hobby wheeling overhead, and our much-loved conservation grazing cattle relaxing in the grassier areas.

Wellies are needed for the rest of the site, which is boggy with deep pools and ditches! Dogs are permitted as long as they are kept on a lead and remain on the path at all times.

Moorlands nature reserve is a beautiful, small woodland which is particularly popular with young families. The reserve boasts a treehouse, wooden sculptures and a nature trail, with way-markers depicting the species found in the woodland thanks to funding from Yorventure. There are numerous benches for rest stops too!

Late-evening visitors to the reserve are in for a real treat, as Moorlands is home to brown long-eared bats which can be spotted flitting between the trees – just take care when heading out in the dark and make sure you are properly prepared with a torch and warm clothing. Please note dogs are not permitted on this reserve because of the sensitive wildlife on or close to the ground.

Strensall Common nature reserve is a fabulous large heathland close to York where the pink heads and grey green leaves of cross-leaved heath intermingle with the purple spikes and green foliage of ling heather.

A quiet stroll around this nature reserve reveals common lizards basking in the sun, the occasional adder, rare moths, butterflies, dragonflies and perhaps even one or two of our grazing Hebridean sheep. Dogs are very welcome to join you on this adventure provided they are kept on the lead; if you fancy a longer walk, you could take in more of Strensall Common itself – just check the MOD signs for range firing times if venturing very far!

More adventurous

Fancy something a little more action-packed? Yorkshire Wildlife Trust hosts a wild events programme over the summer months - dates and times are on our website.

Head to the coast and call in at our Living Seas Centre at Flamborough for coastal crafts and making seaweed soap, or join a litter pick or rockpool safari in Scarborough - intrepid explorers can join our extreme rockpool safari and see what very low tides reveal!

For adventures in further-flung places, take a trip out to Spurn for a shark egg hunt or seaweed search, or spend a romantic evening on a sunset safari down the Point with a picnic.

Inland, we’re hosting a food festival at Stirley near Huddersfield - alongside some youth gardening, practical wildlife conservation, craftivism, mindfulness, surveying wildlife, and foraging workshops for those keen to go green.

There will also be plenty of bat walks as the summer draws to a close with a last chance to glimpse these creatures before they start to head away for hibernation. Booking and information about all of our events can be found at ywt.org.uk/events.

If you do visit any of our York reserves or take part in our events, please share your photos with us! And if you really enjoy yourself, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust put a lot of care and effort into over 111 reserves and a year-round events programme – consider joining us as a supporter and helping us to create a wilder future for Yorkshire.

Amy Cooper is the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s communications officer