Walak 53 Hessle to the east of Kingston Upon Hull

Walk 53   Hessle to the east of Kingston Upon Hull

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 107
Distance: about 8 miles
Difficulty:  easy, flat
Terrain: paths and pavements
Access: Parking at Hessle Park and Ride.
Public transport:  Buses from the Park and Ride or from Hessle

The walk starts eastwards along the north of the Humber near Hessle following the Yorkshire Wolds Way to start with then on to the Trans Pennine Trail. On the way into Hull there are a number of derelict buildings by the river side (which may have been cleared by now) – one of them belonged to The Seafish Industry Authority now located in Edinburgh and Grimsby.

Hull is an interesting place and does not deserve the sneer I get when I mention it as a place to visit. Along the river front is the sculpture of some characters looking out to sea. It depicts a family from northern Europe having temporarily left ship here before going to Liverpool then by ship to America. From 1836-1914 over 2.2 million people passed through Hull en route to a new life in the USA, Canada, South America and Australia. The Wilson Shipping Line leased a separate landing wharf at Hull to cope with the numbers passing through. The outbreak of the First World War and immigration acts in the Americas almost ended the migrations overnight.


Further along near the harbour a inch anti-submarine gun points out to sea. It was recovered from the wreck of the SS Gretorria sunk in action on 27^th September 1917. The large wheel of a superbly preserved horizontal steam engine is a short walk from here at the Humber Dock Promenade. The single cylinder winding engine was originally sited at the Victorian Dock Basin further to the east. It was made in 1866 and was used to draw vessels up from the Humber for repairs and refitting. It was relocated here in 1987.

The Humber Dock promenade goes inland and a walk into the city is convenient from here. The modernised space with fountains is attractively laid out.

Hull City Centre has some impressive buildings. There has been a settlement here for at least 800 years. As a port it predates Liverpool and has maintained links with the major Baltic and Scandinavian trading centres. The city is famous for William Wilberforce (anti slavery campaigner) whose birthplace can be found in the Old Town. Other famous people include Philip Larkin the poet (a Larkin trail was set up around the city soon after I walked there), John Prescott, John Venn (of Venn diagram fame), David Whitfield (the singer), Andrew Marvell, Andrew Motion and Stevie Smith (all poets), John Alderton, Ian Charmichael (actors) and the flying pioneer Amy Johnson.

Returning to the promenade and walking eastwards are the Victorian Pier and part of the old Victorian Dock. A statue of a man leaning out towards the sea is called Voyage. There is a sister sculpture in Vik on the south coast of Iceland and they symbolise 1000 years of trading with Iceland. It was erected after the 30 year dispute with Iceland - the ‘Cod Wars’.

Further along is ‘The Deep’ an aquarium praised for its architecture. It houses an impressive collection of fish – over 3500 types. A sculpture of a Grey Reef Shark stands on the riverside of the building. From here there is a swing footbridge which I was fortunate enough to see open and let shipping through.

The walk from here is a pleasant one with very helpful information boards detailing the history of each section. These include: a foreign cattle depot which once imported cattle from the continent – in 1887 52,000 sheep 2000 pigs and 9000 cattle were brought in and slaughtered on shore - refrigeration in ships stopped this trade. Several timber ponds used to store and handle wood – these were completely drained in 1991 and houses built and old flood gates which were superseded in 1987 by a new flood defence to protect the houses built on the old Victorian Docks.

Part of this new part of Hull is celebrated by a sculpture on the promenade commissioned by local residents to depict the movement of the sea and sky.

When I walked this stretch the remains of broken down buildings on the foreshore made a rather sorry sight. I spoke to a local man who told me that there were plans to turn this area into a 24 hour container port. Local people were vigorously fighting these proposals. I wonder if they succeeded?

It is worth a stroll along to the Port of Hull which is one of the leading trade ports in the UK. There are regular short crossings to Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic states. It is the UKs foremost port for handling timber and related products. It is also the only passenger port on The Humber – one million passengers a year use the P&O super cruise ferries from Hull to Rotterdam. These large ships can be seen at close proximity.

This marks the end of the walk and a return to Hull centre.

Photos show: Horizontal steam engine on  Hull dock promenade, swing footbridge for shipping near The Deep, old floodgates and a ship in the Port of Hull dock.

Walk 52 Goxhill Haven to Hessle near Hull

Walk 52   Goxhill Haven to Hessle across the River Humber into Yorkshire

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 107
Distance: about 11 miles
Difficulty:  quite easy, mostly flat
Terrain: paths and road
Access: Parking at Hessle or New Holland (there is a return walk to Goxhill Haven from New Holland).
Public transport:  The 350 bus leaves Humber Bridge north for Barton Upon Humber at 8:40 and 1:40 and trains leave Barton for New Holland every two hours or so. Always check as the bus services especially are in danger of being reduced or possibly removed.

Starting at New Holland walk eastwards to Coxhill Haven and then the short distance to Skitter Ness. The path does continue south towards North Killinghome but I decided that the view down there was sufficient. This is a bleak area with the large oil terminal of North Killinghome visible in the distance. It was near to this point that in 1607 the Pilgrim Fathers made their second successful illegal emigration to Holland. Near Goxhill Haven I spotted a rusty old boat tipped on its side – I wonder if it is still there?

The walk back westwards through Goxhill Haven provides good views across the Humber. This busy stretch of water has about 40,000 ship movements a year – the most in the UK. It is the UKs largest port complex and handles 14% of our international trade. A view across the river is dominated by Hull or Kingston Upon Hull to give it the correct name.

The next settlement is New Holland. The railway and pier here once served as a ferry to Hull (up to when the bridge was built). Oddly, cars using the ferry drove on and off along the station platform.

Further along is Barrow Haven the site of a pre 1848 ferry. The settlement has a station and is renowned for brick making using clay from the edges of The Humber. The impressive Humber Bridge dominates the view westwards. 

The path passes past the old clay pits before ending up alongside Waters Edge Country Park. Most of the clay pits have been turned into wildlife refuges. The path turns inwards alongside a busy quayside and then on to a road which leads to Barton Upon Humber. The Roman Ermine Street crossed the Humber near this point - it was possible to use a ford and a ferry was used later on. Not all were impressed by Barton, Daniel Defoe writing in 1725 said: Barton is a town noted for nothing that I know but an ill favoured dangerous ferry. It has to be said that his judgement might have been clouded as the open ferry took 4 hours to get to the other side and was carrying 15 horses and 12 cows!

The walk continues back northwards to the riverside next to the Humber Bridge. Follow the signs to the pedestrian walkway. Good views of the river can be appreciated especially to the east. The bridge is 1 and  1/3 miles long. It was opened by the Queen in 1981 and connects Hull with the south bank which was previously served by a ferry. At the time it was built it was the longest span suspension bridge in the world. As far as I can tell it is now the fifth longest having been passed by bridges in Denmark and the Far East. If you cross the bridge by car it is quite expensive – around £3 when I went.

On the northern bank of the Humber is an area of Hessle which dates form Anglo Saxon times and for a long time was an important ship building centre. The Ferry Boat Inn can be spotted not far from the bridge and is evidence of the arrival point of the old ferry from New Holland on the opposite bank; this closed when the bridge was built. The walking route into Hessle is marked - it passes through a car park then on to a main road and access to buses into Hull.

Photos show the quayside at Barton upon Humber and the wreck mentioned above.

Walk 51 Cleethorpes to Immingham

Walk 51   Cleethorpes to Immingham (Lincs)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: 113
Distance: 10 miles, a couple of miles longer if using public transport
Difficulty:  quite easy, mostly flat
Terrain: paths and road
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport:  Bus and train service at Cleethorpes - the 46 bus runs from Immingham to Grimsby and Cleethorpes every hour.

Start near the car park at the Discovery Centre to the south of Cleethorpes or walk there from the town. Looking south the Humberston Fitties can be seen in the distance – this is a large conservation area. Also near here is one of the largest caravan sites in the country. Haile Sandfort built in 1918 can be reached by walking across the sands, it was reused as a defence housing soldiers in World War 2. However, be careful if you try this as the tide goes out about a mile and can rush in quickly and dangerously. A large theme park is behind the trees on the shore side.


Walking northwards there is an attractive area of small inland lakes. It is worth walking along the coastal road to appreciate some of the modern art adjacent to the road - this includes a deck chair called ‘forty winks’. The attractive front along this stretch includes a flower bed advertising the Grimsby Telegraph. This reflects the fact that Grimsby and Cleethorpes were merged in 1996. The Greenwich meridian passes through the town and there is allegedly a signpost showing various long distances e.g. New York. I don’t think this is too near the coast edge as I failed to spot it.

Cleethorpes was originally a fishing village and in 1801 had a population of just 264. Clee means clay and thorpe village. In the 1840s it became popular because of the medicinal qualities of the water. In the 1870s day trippers from industrial Yorkshire formed a large group of visitors. Cleethorpes is known locally as Meggie possible because a Meg (an old halfpenny) was the cost of a tram from nearby Grimsby.

Further along the promenade the pier comes into view. It was built in 1873 by the rail companies to encourage more visitors. It suffered badly from fire in 1903 and was rebuilt in 1905 – showing that fires on piers are not just a modern day problem. The current pier is a modernised version. The walk continues past Ross Castle on the left. This too was built by a railway company which was very keen to develop Cleethorpes as a resort. It is named after the secretary of the rail company - Edmund Ross. It was an attraction from 1885 when it was built together with nearby gardens. In later years it became less used and needed restoration in 2007. Now a listed building, many local people refer to it as a folly.

Follow the sea wall to the north out of Cleethorpes. Near to the coast are the floodlights of Grimsby FC who play at Blundell Park. Strangely the ground is actually within the boundaries of Cleethorpes. Past this point roads have to be navigated before entering Grimsby. It is worth a walk to the fishing docks. The town was founded by the Danes in the 9^th century and became a fishing and trading port in the 12^th century. There is an impressive tower rising out of the docks. This was built in 1852 and is 350 feet high – it provided water for the hydraulically operated dock gates. A stroll along some of the roads in the docks leaves you in doubt that you are in a modern fishing port - with both your eyes and nose! It is the UKs most advanced fishing port but some impressive older buildings remain in the docks. The fishing heritage centre in the town is informative and includes information about what constitutes bad luck on a fishing vessel – a bird tapping on a window is a sign of impending death – to say egg, pig, clergyman or rabbit aboard a trawler could all mean bad luck! During the Second World War a number of Danish fishing boats sailed to Grimsby to escape the German invasion.

After navigating some roads rejoin the coastal walk to the north of Grimsby. I can’t pretend this is a pretty walk with evidence of much industry all the way to Immingham docks. There is a path inland before reaching the docks. I was glad there was as not far from this exit is large chemical works with a public notice warning about the dangers of chemical escapes warning you to leave the area immediately if the sirens and flashing lights start. I noticed a sinister cloud billowing out of here and unbelievably the warning sounds went off. I have rarely walked as fast. On the walk inland to Immingham two fire engines sped past!

Photos show: lakeside area to the south of Cleethorpes; Ross Castle on Cleethorpes promenade; a view to Grimsby from Cleethorpes (Grimsby FC ground is in the picture); the tower at Grimsby fishing dock; the notice outside the chemical factory and finally the smoke billowing from the works which made reading the notice important (as described above).

Walk 50 Theddlethorpe St Helen to Saltfleet and back

Walk 50   Theddlethorpe St Helen to Saltfleet and back (Lincs)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: 113
Distance: about 8 miles return
Difficulty:  quite easy, flat
Terrain: paths alongside dunes and some road
Access: Parking at both ends
Public transport:  There was an infrequent bus service but it is not clear on the website whether this is still running (you could walk to and from Mablethorpe adding another 6 miles or so).

Coastal walking from here to Cleethorpes is difficult with much of the sand dangerous due to unexploded shells and other ordnance. The walk is possible, but there are lengthy diversions inland and I only walked the section described here. I also drove to Donna Nook to have a look around.


The area around Theddlethorpe St Helen is part of a national nature reserve. The sands and saltmarshes are home to an array of birds and wildlife. It is one of the few remaining habitats for the Natterjack toad recognised by the pale stripe along its back and its way of running instead of hopping. At low tide the sea seems to disappear along this stretch of coast.

The walk along the edge of the sands to Saltfleet is 3 to 4 miles. Care needs to be taken on this stretch – keep to the path to avoid possible dangers of explosives. A notice at Saltfleet shore warns walkers not to veer from the path because of unexploded ammunition. The area was used as an RAF bombing range.

Saltfleet Haven is a quiet place dotted with boats. There is a lot of samphire or glasswort growing around here. It was once burnt to provide ash for use in the glass making industry. It was also known as poor mans asparagus – washed and soaked to remove salt, boiled for a few minutes and served with a knob of butter and lemon juice.

Saltfleet village has some interesting old buildings. These include a manor house, St Botolph’s church (not used now) and two pubs. In Roman times Saltfleet was a port.

I drove up to Donna Nook to look around. This is now a national nature reserve on the Humber estuary and an important site for wintering waders, ducks and geese. The mudflats are rich in bird food e.g. worms and crustaceans. The area is named after the ‘Donna’ a ship from the Spanish Armada which sailed off the ‘nook’ (a corner). A notice says that the nature reserve lives in harmony with the military planes.

Photos show: Saltfleet Haven; Saltfleet Shore; the sands at Theddlethorpe St Helen; Donna Nook with warning notice.

Walk 49 Chapel St Leonards to Mablethorpe

Walk 49   Chapel St Leonards to Mablethorpe (Lincs)

(First leg of English Coastal Walk - Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland)

Map: L/R 122
Distance: about 10 miles
Difficulty: easy to moderate depending on the amount of sand walking
Terrain: pavement/road/sand
Access: parking at both ends
Public transport: buses at both ends


Rejoin the walk at Chapel Point and walk either along the beach or on the road - once you have made the choice you will need to stick to it for a couple of miles or so as I wouldn't recommend crossing the marsh!

At Anderby Creek there is a unique 'Cloud Bar' on the foreshore which is well worth a visit (free). It was constructed by the Cloud Appreciation Society and is Britain's only cloud spotting platform. An information panel gives guidance on how to spot the different types of clouds with comprehensive guidance on how they are formed and where to go for further information. Looking along the beach you may well see horses ridden along the soft sands.

Further up the beach either by sand or road is Moggs Eye/Huttoft Beach. This beach is recommended by surfers as being particularly good in the winter when the wind is usually from the west. (It is also featured in the Good Beach Guide). John Betjeman loved Lincolnshire and the nearby village of Huttoft provided the inspiration for his poem 'A Lincolnshire Church'.

A few miles further north is Sutton on Sea. A handsome new Edwardian resort was once planned for here but the plans were scuppered by the outbreak of the First World War. The names of the  beach huts along this stretch reflect the usual bracing weather here -  a few examples of those I spotted: Goosebumps, Wind Rush and Chill Out.

At Mablethorpe there are gated flood defences. The sea walls have regularly been breached right back to the time of the Romans. In the 1953 great floods 43 of the 307 people killed lived between here and Skegness. Three further floods have hit since then and several projects including dumping millions of tons of sand to create higher beaches have been tried.

I do hope the strange looking beach huts are still there - they are odd but fascinating. In 2007 there was a contest to explore different designs of beach huts and over 100 exhibits were entered. Some of them were left in situ and provide a great talking point.

Lord Tennyson used to rent a cottage in Mablethorpe for his summer holidays. He often returned to the town sometimes to see the spring and high tides and at other times when he was feeling despondent. However, it is said that he was disappointed when he found the area colder than his childhood memories.

It is worth exploring the northern part of Mablethorpe, first on the cliffs from some odd, but surprisingly comfortable, concrete seats, and then on  the sands. The sand train runs along the beach to the north and has being running in season since 1952. It was still doing good business when I went in October - a trip to the end on the train and a walk back along the delightful sands are a pleasant way to end the walk.

Photos show: the beach at Chapel St Leonards; the centre of Chapel; the cloud bar at Anderby Bank; one of the strange beach huts at Mablethorpe and the sand train at Mablethrorpe beach.

Walk 48 Skegness to Chapel St Leonards

Walk 48          Skegness to Chapel St Leonards (Lincolnshire)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: 122

Distance: about 11 miles

Difficulty:  quite easy, flat

Terrain: paths and some road/pavement/sand

Access: Parking at both ends

Public transport:  No 1 and No 3 buses go regularly between the two points.

It is probably worth walking a mile or so to the south of Skegness to enjoy the views of the extensive sands which continue to Gibraltar Point. Most of this area, from which the sea has been retreating for 300 years, is part of a national nature reserve.

Retracing the journey back to Skegness two wind farms form a prominent part of the seascape. Skegness comes from the Scandinavian word ‘Sheggi’ meaning the bearded one. It is likely that Sheggi was a Viking leader whose force invaded and settled here although the original settlement was washed away some time later.

Skegness has impressive wide sands with a typical British resort seafront; fast food, outlets, amusements and holiday parks feature strongly. In fact the town is home to the first Butlins Holiday Camp built in 1936. The camp (which is near to the coast walk north of the town) has been updated to meet modern needs with one of the original chalets preserved as a listed building.  One of the original slogans for Butlins was ‘A week’s holiday for a week’s wage’.

Once the railway arrived in Skegness in 1863 visitors arrived in ever increasing numbers. Watch out for pictures of the iconic ‘Skegness is SO bracing’ railway posters – reflecting a time when this would have been an attraction! There are well tended flower beds adjacent to Skegness sea front, one of them contains a sculpture of The Jolly Fisherman - the character used on the railway posters.

The road from the beach into the centre of Skegness features the clock tower - a significant local landmark. It is 50 feet high and was built in 1898 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee. In 1998 a time capsule was buried under the traffic island beneath the tower to celebrate 100 years of laying the foundation stone.

Further along the front is Skegness Pier. It was opened in 1881 and was originally 1845 feet long, one of the longest in England. There were kiosks, seating, refreshment rooms and a concert area. Paddle steamers also crossed The Wash from here to connect with Hunstanton via Kings Lynn and Boston. Unfortunately, they stopped operating in 1910 when sand banks built up making it unsafe. In 1978 the pier was badly damaged in a storm and the end was removed in 1985. It is now much shorter but is still an attraction.

The walk along the promenade leaves Skegness then there is a choice between walking on the sands or going by road around the golf course before returning to the coast at Winthorpe. From here there is an almost continuous concrete barrier built after the devastating floods that hit the east of England in 1953. The path eventually arrives at Ingoldmells, not an attractive place unless you are a fan of massive holiday parks, caravans, amusement arcades, fast food outlets etc.

The walk into Chapel St Leonards is a pleasant one which passes alongside large stretches of sand. Continue to Chapel Point to the north which was once part of a major coastal defence during the Second World War. The gun structure and surroundings have been restored here to capture the views of the east coast. Walk back to Chapel St Leonards. The town became popular in the twentieth century with the advent of the car. Visitors used to pitch tents on the beach until chalets were built along the sand dunes in the 1930s. It is known locally as ‘Chapel’ and is named after a chapel dedicated to St Leonard built in ancient times. The church was rebuilt in 1572 then amended periodically and is the only one with a red steeple in Lincolnshire. A modern bell structure on a well kept green near the front provides an attractive oasis compared to the nearby modern buildings.

Photos show: Skegness sands, the clocktower at Skegness, Jolly Fisherman and flower beds, Skegness front and Imgoldmells.

Walk 47 Boston to Wrangle (Lincs)

Walk 47          Boston to Wrangle (Lincolnshire)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 131 and 122

Distance: about 14 miles

Difficulty:  quite easy, flat

Terrain: paths, some pavement

Access: Parking at both ends

Public transport: Regular weekday service to and from Boston bus station to Wrangle (carries on to Skegness) check boards at the bus station.

This stretch is quite popular with people strolling along the north side of the river as it progresses towards The Wash. When I went it became more of a solitary experience on the northward stretch alongside Boston Deeps.

The walk out of Boston along The Haven is varied taking in views as diverse as a sewage works and a country park. About three miles along, just before Hobbhole Drain, there is an interesting memorial to the Pilgrim Fathers. They set sail from this point, now known as Scotia Creek, in September 1607. Unfortunately, they did not get very far on their first attempt. The small community from Scrooby (just over the Lincs. border in Nottinghamshire) bribed a Dutch captain to take them to religious freedom overseas; however he informed the authorities of their plans and the whole lot were returned to Boston – several ending up in the cells of the guildhall. A second attempt was more successful and after living in the Netherlands for several years the group set sail to join the Mayflower at Southampton.

At the end of the estuary, near where it meets The Wash, is a brick built ‘hide’ where you could spend a little time looking at the nearby sea-life. The marshes of The Scalp can be seen to the south and Black Buoy sand (and Mud) straight ahead and to the north. A couple of eastern European girls asked me how far it was to ‘the beach on the ocean’ – I think their expectations may have been dashed when they got there!

A diversion to the path was in place when I went - this may be permanent and the latest OS map may have changed as a result. The walk passes close to North Sea Camp (about half a mile inland). This has been a prison since 1988 and prior to that was a borstal. A cone type brick built structure near to the coast celebrates the work begun manually by the boys of North Sea Camp in 1936 which resulted in 500 acres of land being claimed back from the sea.

A couple of miles further up the coast is Freiston Shore with its RSPB nature reserve and lagoon. The walk from hereon alongside the marshes of Wrangle Flats is rather bleak. Inland there is productive arable farmland and cows often blocked the path resulting in a muddy diversion!

The end of the walk is at Wrangle. The name comes from the Scandinavian ‘Urangr’ meaning bent or crooked – a reference to a stream long since gone. Centuries ago there was a harbour here but it silted up. The accumulation of seaward marsh and enclosure of pasture land means that the village is now well inland. St Mary and St Nicholas Church dates back to the fourteenth century and will be of interest to those who enjoy visiting old churches.

Photos show: the estuary of The Haven, part of the marshy walk described above and a view of the village of Wrangle.