23 and 24 March 2019 – Spurn Head and the Yorkshire Wolds

Click on any image for better resolution and access to a slideshow at the foot of the screen

An assortment of some 32 of Sue’s old university friends and hangers on assembled at Beverley Youth Hostel for a weekend in south Yorkshire. The hostel is next to the Minster, pictured above, that regrettably we didn’t manage to find time to explore.

Most of us managed to congregate on Friday evening in a small room at the Tiger Inn, a rather jolly place with a small band filling the room next door.

On Saturday morning, Sue, Keith and I used Hull parkrun (report here) as an aperitif for a walk from Easington to Spurn Head and back.

There were about 24 of us on this 23 km stroll that involved less than 30 metres ascent! We started from outside All Saints Church in Easington, a tedious drive from Hull.

The church was apparently built on Saxon footings and contains the remains of various nearby church yards that have been taken by the sea on this heavily eroded coastline.

We were soon romping along beside Easington Clays and the Mouth of the Humber. Carol looked a bit weighed down, and we soon discovered the reason. Ken had kindly made up some bacon and sausage butties for the runners who had failed earlier to take full advantage of his full English breakfast. Thanks both, that was delicious.

The birds don’t come out very well in the next picture, but there were flocks of Knot, Dunlin and Turnstones, and a few Oyster Catchers – and probably many more.

If you click on the next picture you’ll see an array of offshore wind turbines beyond the remains of an old jetty.

The lighthouse is in active use next to this busy waterway.

 

Lunch was taken on the sands at Spurn Head, beyond the Pilot Station.

 

No doubt pilots are needed to assist huge vessels like this one.

 

It was a completely flat walk, but nevertheless quite tiring through the soft sand.

 

 

We returned more or less the way we had come, apart from a tedious section of dead straight roadway at the end, passing St Helen’s Church on the way. This appears to be a private dwelling, and a nearby notice asserts that since 14 December 2018 it has been deemed to be a building of special or historical interest and must not be altered without permission. Perhaps it will just be left to fall down.

 

Here’s our 23 km route. An interesting walk, but one that we are unlikely to repeat.

 

Sunday dawned sunny, again, but with a brisk, cold wind.

The hostel car park apparently has room for six vehicles. Or so they say.

 

Today Ken had it easy – his European breakfast was a little easier to assemble than his English variety, but was just as tasty.

 

You get a good view of the Minster from the hostel grounds – the next two pictures, the second featuring the hostel, were taken from the same place.

 

Then most of us headed off to Fridaythorpe, with some cars being abandoned in Bishop Wilton, enabling us to enjoy an 18 km stroll from point to point in the Yorkshire Wolds.

Some of us waited for nearly an hour by the village green whilst others faffed with their cars. Not to worry, we had plenty of time, and there was a convenient shelter to wait out of the cold wind with the view below.

 

I can’t remember the last time, if ever, I visited the Yorkshire Wolds. They house pleasant dales like the one shown below – Horse Dale.

 

Today there were quite a few undulations. Here we are approaching Cow Dale.

 

Primroses were nicely in flower near Huggate.

 

For much of the day we followed the well signposted Yorkshire Wolds Way footpath, passing this fine marker post near York Lane.

 

With seventeen of us on the walk, including Tom, frequent pauses were needed to allow the backmarkers to catch up. Here we all managed to assemble at Pocklington Lane.

 

A bit further on, all seventeen of us sheltered behind a gorse bush in order to enjoy lunch out of the wind. Pork pie, cheese and tomato butties, boiled eggs, brownies and chocolate caramel shortbread were nicely washed down with our flask of tea.

 

After that, tiring bodies were hauled up Sylvan Dale.

 

Then we deserted the Yorkshire Wolds Way in favour of the Minster Way. There are lots of named walking routes hereabouts. The Minster Way led us down to the outskirt of the village of Millington.

 

Pleasant paths drew us past the isolated church pictured below, and through Great Givendale, towards our final destination.

 

The following image of walkers ignoring the Fleece Inn at Bishop Wilton is a bit misleading. Only the drivers walked past the pub, as they had to be taken back to Fridaythorpe. The rest stayed ensconced in the pub for a few minutes whilst their steeds were recovered.

 

From the same position as the last image, the view of Bishop Wilton village seems to me to be reminiscent of Hutton-le-Hole, further north.

 

Here’s the route – 18 km with about 450 metres ascent. A very pleasant outing that took about 4.5 hours and left us with plenty of time to get home for tea.

 

Thanks again to Sue W for organising another excellent weekend.

Remember to click on an image in order to display a slideshow at the foot of the screen.

PS Special thanks to Sue B for providing some of the photos.