East Yorkshire: Old Ellerby Bluebells (4 miles)

Sunday, 19th April 2020

Decided to do this walk anti-clockwise for a change, primarily to save the bluebell woodland for the latter part of the walk and to get the worst of the road walking out of the way first.

Lovely wide farm track:

I enjoyed the wide-open-spaces views across to Hull, and yes, I could still see Saltend's cooling towers!

There were small patches of bluebells in the scrubby woodland which gave me hope for views of a "bumper crop" in the proper woodland.

Eventually, I popped out onto another quiet country lane:

 Oh it does the soul good to hear those skylarks singing.

A view across to the woodland I would soon be walking through:

After turning off the road I encountered a hill!  Normally we would walk this route the other way and I can't say I'd noticed the gradient going down!  I enjoyed "the challenge".  It felt good to get an upward gradient into my legs.  View looking back down the hill (somewhat flattened thanks to the camera):

My first little patch of bluebells:

I took a short detour here through the woodland to see where a "forestry" track led.  Nowhere as it happens - just out to the field at the other side.  I retraced my steps:

Looking across to the White Stag in Burton Constable Hall's grounds:

More bluebells.  Again, I knew there was better to come:

I found a small clump of wild garlic so I plucked a couple of florets and nibbled on them.  Wow! they're powerfully strong flavoured!:

At last, a glimpse to the entrance of the "woodland proper" with the bluebells I had been anticipating:

And here they are.  Carpets and carpets of bloobies in the wonderful dappled sunshine of the woodland:

 Oh they looked and smelled wonderful!

There is a small pond in this woodland (man-made).  It's naturalising nicely:

I found a fallen tree trunk to sit and have my snack on.  I just sat, listening to the sound of the birds chirruping and the wind rustling through the trees.  It was so lovely I took a short video, more for the sound than anything:

Walking across this parched field (RoW) wasn't a problem today.  After rain, or when the crops are high, it is a total nightmare!:

Finally, a short walk through this enclosed track.  Luckily, you can see both ends from either end so spotting anyone coming through wouldn't be a problem.  I'm not sure chickens are aware of the social-distancing rules though!:

I saw NOBODY.    

This was a WONDERFUL walk.  Not to mention the little, short, sharp hill that got my legs and lungs going.  Sunshine, bluebells, solitude, exercise. Perfect.  Simply perfect.

East Yorkshire: Hedon to Preston (4 miles)

Sunday, 5th April 2020

What a gorgeous day it was today.  And I was wracking my brains for a walk that would avoid people, knowing that the sunshine would bring them out in their droves.  

Instead, I plumped for a walk up to the next village, returning across the fields.

I decided to get the worst of the road walking / pavement plodding out of the way first and broke it up a bit as I headed through Watsons Park:

… and then onto the road for about a mile or so:

I’ve never seen this road so quiet. 

Passing the fire/ambulance station with it’s lovely cherry tree in blossom:

I forgot about the hill at the traffic lights though!  Kwooooorrr.  I was glad the lights were at red so I could have a breather 😉

I decided to cut through the Church.  Another lovely building, and a bit more hill to climb up:

The exit brings me out opposite Nuns Walk with its info board high up on the wall:

A lovely leafy-lane walk followed before bursting out into the paddocks:

Apparently seeing a piebald horse is good luck.

Through the paddocks and more leafy laneage:

What a cracker of a blossom tree.

The least interesting lane of the walk was this one which crosses the Cranswick Foods access road:

At least it’s fairly short and I spotted some newly installed alpacas/llamas:

….before turning onto a tiny dead-end lane to curve round the back of the last building:

This path is notoriously squishy and badly maintained so I was surprised to find it both dry and the hedgerows cut back, although some of the fencing still needed attention.

I ended up on Middle Lane and gave way to two horse riders out enjoying the sunshine.  I was surprised to see them riding on the road as neither were shod:

  

 I exited Middle Lane and crossed Staithes Lane and onto the fields:

Yep, them pesky cooling towers again!

A little further along and Hedon Church came into view:

Plus I spotted an “old school” ditch crossing device – two planks of wood.  Though I didn’t need to cross it, I just had to, for old time’s sake.

A look back at Preston Church:

Had a nice chat with this chap who was doing his bit for social distancing:

At the end of the field there is a bench.  So I sat.  In the sunshine. With some nice rural views (ie. facing away from the cooling towers).  I felt a knot of anxiety that I never realised I was feeling disappear and a lovely feeling of peaceful calm came over me.  

After a short stretch across the next crop field I crossed the old railtrack and on into the “cow field”.  This time I simply walked straight across it to the unofficial exit at the other side:

…and I popped out onto the normally muddy track behind Elsie Gate. 

I decided to follow the track to Farrand Road to get a pic of this sculpture/memorial (which I’ve been meaning to do for a while now):

It’s lit up on a night too and looks really lovely.

I was thrilled to discover that the official “you are now entering Hedon” sign has been revamped:

It was looking a bit shabby and faded before Christmas.

Oh, here’s a peculiarity of the locality – white phone boxes:

I went up the track behind Drapers Lane:

Parched and baked dry to the point there’s big cracks in the mud.  It’s hard to imagine the drain bank had overtopped just a couple of months ago with all the rain and storms Whatever They Were Called.

And more of the same along the unofficial side of the Havenside path:

Eventually I returned to the main road and checked on the chippy which is closed until further notice:

After noticing the doors on the first floor I decided I must look into the building’s history (it’s a listed building).  I don’t often look at the shop from this angle.  

Well, it were a reet nice mooch in’t sunshine it were.

Thanks for reading 😊