Sunday, 28th February 2021
Final walk of the month. It's a beautiful day. So I decided to do my Kelsey Gardens walk.
I knew it would be about 8 miles in total and that I would be out for 3 or 4 hours so I took a snack and a drink - after all, you wouldn't exercise in a gym for 3 to 4 hours without a break and this is no different in my mind.
My original plan was to plodge up the rail track to Kelsey Gardens, stop and have a break then plodge back along Burstwick Drain. Buuut, with it being such a glorious day, the world and his wife was also plodging up the rail track, cyclists, families, dog walkers, joggers. It really was very busy and I was lucky to get this shot of the track with nobody on it:
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| Hull to Winestead rail track |
After a while though, it became tiresome doing the apologetic skirting round the edge of the path whilst whoever you was passing did the same in the opposite direction whilst saying cheery hellos, thank yous and commenting on the madness that is the new normal of late.
Last time I walked up this way I spotted a tractor tyre track leading off the RoW and made a mental note to explore it when it wasn't flooded. As I walked past it today, I decided now was that time:
This turned out to be an excellent choice. Not only because I managed to avoid at least 20 people on the main rail track whilst I walked in blissful solitude but because I was very sheltered from the breeze which, despite the warmth of the sun, was a bit nippy. There was also lots of birds flitting in and out of the bushes and scrubland and I heard my first skylark of the year.
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| A little trespass |
This turned out to be an excellent choice. Not only because I managed to avoid at least 20 people on the main rail track whilst I walked in blissful solitude but because I was very sheltered from the breeze which, despite the warmth of the sun, was a bit nippy. There was also lots of birds flitting in and out of the bushes and scrubland and I heard my first skylark of the year.
Eventually I reached a set of sturdy gates. Locked. Oh no! Luckily, the patch of scrubland to my left was familiar from my last walk here and I soon realised I could blaze a trail across it to get onto Pinfold Lane in Burstwick:
A short walk through the village in the sunshine had me thinking, if I was in an unfamiliar area, this would be one of those sleepy hollows - cute but you just pass through as you head to to hills.
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| Scrubland leading to Pinfold Lane (still getting used to my new phone/camera - apologies for the finger!) |
A short walk through the village in the sunshine had me thinking, if I was in an unfamiliar area, this would be one of those sleepy hollows - cute but you just pass through as you head to to hills.
I eventually got onto Newbridge Road which peters out into a single track lane at the bottom, but I turn off before then:
I turned off the lane and onto the drain bank:
Considering all the rain/snow we've had recently, I'm surprised the water level is so low.
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| Single track lane on Newbridge Road |
I turned off the lane and onto the drain bank:
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| On East Carr Drain bank |
Considering all the rain/snow we've had recently, I'm surprised the water level is so low.
A right turn, and up the gentle slope of Kelsey Hill. Long views towards Keyingham from the top:
Dropping down off the hill and I avoided "Brian's Walk" - the pedestrian route to Kelsey Gardens as there was a group of yoofs coming down it and it's only about 5ft wide (plus, it was really muddy). Instead, I followed the rough road to the small car park which most folks use if they're coming here to kayak or wild swim (or just walk their dogs the 200 metres to the butty van).
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| Looking towards Keyingham from Kelsey Hill |
Dropping down off the hill and I avoided "Brian's Walk" - the pedestrian route to Kelsey Gardens as there was a group of yoofs coming down it and it's only about 5ft wide (plus, it was really muddy). Instead, I followed the rough road to the small car park which most folks use if they're coming here to kayak or wild swim (or just walk their dogs the 200 metres to the butty van).
The butty van was open! Sod the snack and drink I'd brought with me. I was having me a bacon sarnie and coffee! I accidentally paid for a slice of lemon drizzle cake too (shame that). The seating area outside the butty van is cordoned off at the moment and there was a one way system in place for ordering your food. I thought it only right that I tested out the procedure and took my feast to a conveniently placed log on the edge of the woodland near the van. What a lovely view:
After my feast I headed off down the rail track - this is the part of the track I usually walk when I'm doing this circuit and normally my car is parked at the end of it. Not today though. It was still incredibly rutted and muddy and I did ponder for too long on the lone pebble in the middle of this semi-permanent pond on the track - was it supposed to be a stepping stone? Not a very useful stepping stone if so!:
As I navigated my way round the rutted muddiness I heard hooves behind me. I also heard them slow right down to allow me to navigate my way round the ruts, rather than them just splishing through and no doubt coating me in a layer of said mud! We had a bit of a natter (yep you guessed it... how being on the back of an 'oss is an excellent way to maintain social distancing!). They tarried on their way:
I reached the road where my car is usually parked, but this time, I crossed the road for, oh, more railtrack. To be fair, I've not walked this particular bit for years, and years and years:
I did have to chuckle as I neared the end where the old station has been turned into little cottages:
Across the next road and all that remained was the 2 mile plodge down.... wait for it.... yep, you guessed it.....the rail track! Once again, this bit of it was chokka full of people so I decided to explore the field edges instead:
...AAaaaaand back on the track again:
As I got near to Hedon again I decided to explore another field edge as I was pretty sure it would bring me out "round the back of" the water storage pond thing. Glad I did as I spotted these on the side of the field drain:
I also discovered a little path through some woodland with a very dodgy looking tree branch bridge crossing another field drain. I didn't cross it as the mud down the bank was too slippery - but it's earmarked for a very VERY dry day.
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| South Lake at Kelsey Gardens |
After my feast I headed off down the rail track - this is the part of the track I usually walk when I'm doing this circuit and normally my car is parked at the end of it. Not today though. It was still incredibly rutted and muddy and I did ponder for too long on the lone pebble in the middle of this semi-permanent pond on the track - was it supposed to be a stepping stone? Not a very useful stepping stone if so!:
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| Random stone in the mud |
As I navigated my way round the rutted muddiness I heard hooves behind me. I also heard them slow right down to allow me to navigate my way round the ruts, rather than them just splishing through and no doubt coating me in a layer of said mud! We had a bit of a natter (yep you guessed it... how being on the back of an 'oss is an excellent way to maintain social distancing!). They tarried on their way:
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| Two riders on the old rail track |
I reached the road where my car is usually parked, but this time, I crossed the road for, oh, more railtrack. To be fair, I've not walked this particular bit for years, and years and years:
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| Rail track between Camerton and Burstwick |
I did have to chuckle as I neared the end where the old station has been turned into little cottages:
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| Amusing sign |
Across the next road and all that remained was the 2 mile plodge down.... wait for it.... yep, you guessed it.....the rail track! Once again, this bit of it was chokka full of people so I decided to explore the field edges instead:
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| Rail track avoidance hay meadow |
...AAaaaaand back on the track again:
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| Rail Track ... again! |
As I got near to Hedon again I decided to explore another field edge as I was pretty sure it would bring me out "round the back of" the water storage pond thing. Glad I did as I spotted these on the side of the field drain:
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| Coltsfoot |
I also discovered a little path through some woodland with a very dodgy looking tree branch bridge crossing another field drain. I didn't cross it as the mud down the bank was too slippery - but it's earmarked for a very VERY dry day.
All in all, seeing as I wasn't relishing the thought of the dull plodge along the rail track, I really enjoyed this walk and wouldn't object to doing it again now I've found a way of reducing the monotony of said rail track.
My legs ache pleasantly too, which is always a sign of a good walk.
Thanks for reading 😊