Friday, 23rd December 2016
(Written somewhat tongue-in-cheek but I'm sure we all do walks like this and simply don't bother to "admit" to them).I finally managed to get out for a walk in some daylight today. The forecast was good and I had time in the bank at work so I took an extended lunch for a walk in the cold and blustery sunshine. My destination? The dizzy heights of Hessle Foreshore (where!?) Just a couple of miles down the road from where I work… and I drove there
I got parked up near sign for the start of the Yorkshire Wolds Way. Changed into my …. trainers. Packed my cigs and phone into my … jacket pocket … and off I set. What? I hear you cry. No rucksack? No food or drink? No waterproofs or emergency shelter?
Nope. Not even a map.
I headed off into the unknown listening to the, ahem, peace and tranquillity of the traffic roaring over the Humber Bridge a short hop, skip and a squelch away, but enjoyed feeling the biting cold wind whipping my neatly organised hair out of it’s clip and lashing my cheeks. I enjoyed having to squint into the low, bright sunlight rather than having to squint because I really should wear my glasses for reading. I enjoyed inhaling cold, crisp air into my lungs which made me cough… which made my eyes stream and my nose run. This walking malarkey is good for you… honestly
I reached my halfway point, the slipway for the Humber Lifeboat … an un-steep, stone and concrete descent down onto the shingle and relished in the satisfying crunch of pebbles beneath my feet and the schloppp of the waves as they gave the shore a damned good thrashing.
As I approached the Humber Bridge I was saddened to see the number of bunches of flowers and wreaths fastened to various railings and benches. Unfortunately, this bridge is popular for committing suicide from
It was just after high tide by the looks of things and I hoped I’d be able to remain on the “beach” for the remainder of my walk.
My luck was in as I rounded the “leg” of the Humber Bridge and saw a strip of slimey (or should that be shiney) white pebbles. This meant I could take my best pic of the day… a view of almost the full length of the bridge from the underneath :
I’ve been itching to get a pic from this viewpoint for a while and I’m really pleased I finally managed to
As I reached the concrete shore defences I sat and had a “summit cig”, which, after spending 5 minutes trying to light the blasted thing, the wind smoked most of it.
A little further along I spent far too long musing and pondering on how a 15ft piece of driftwood managed to get trapped in the railings and spent even longer wondering if I could drag it back to my car… and then… would it FIT in my car
The wind at my back and the sun to my side, I enjoyed the views towards my home some 10 miles away and also the views across the river of the south bank.
Almost too soon, I was back at my car, where I tucked into a cheese and sandwich spread sarnie (and almost my fingers as they were numb with cold (nope, I didn’t take gloves either
) and a cup of coffee and checked out my walk “stats”…..…… are you ready?.....
Total mileage = 0.8 miles
Max height = 4ft
Min height = -2ft (yes that’s minus 2ft)
I got back to work exhausted and ready for a sit down after my mega-adventure on the shores of the Humber Estuary
Thanks for reading
