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The Wolds Way is a designated long distance footpath that follows a natural chalk escarpment which runs from
Hull to Filey. At just over 76 miles long the walk crosses beautiful East Yorkshire countryside.
The walk begins near the Humber Bridge and ends at Filey Brigg. During the 76 miles you walk through lots of lovely woodland, cross or walk through numerous delightful dales and visit a number of delightful villages, one of them deserted! Oh, and you see a lot of white stone on this unique chalk walk. |
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Day |
Itinerary |
Miles |
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Introduction:
The 76 miles of the Wolds Way includes 40 miles of footpath and 16 miles of bridleway. The remaining 20 miles is either minor road, public path or byway open to all traffic. The idea for the Wolds Way came from the East Yorkshire and Derwent branch of the Ramblers Association. It was opened as an official National Trail long distance routes in 1982. I decided to complete the Wolds Way in March 2003. Since I had moved to Beverley in 2000 I had been less than inspired by the flat and open landscape. I was soon yearning for the rugged openness of the Yorkshire Dales that I had grown used to in Leeds. Despite the criticisms of the Beverley landscape I had enjoyed some nice walks in the area, particularly to the north west of Hull. It's just they were not challenging enough, no big climbs and no great distances. How could I remedy this? Do the Wolds Way, that's how. The stage on this page is seen in the map on the right. |
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| Statistics: | |||
| Start: | Hessle Haven | Estimated Time: | 5 hours |
| Start (OS ref): | TA023254 | Difficulty: | Moderate |
| Finish: | South Cave | Total Climbing: | 379 metres |
| Finish (OS ref): | SE931317 | Longest Climb: | 81 metres |
| Maps: | OS Explorer 293, 294 (see above for details) |
Longest Descent: | 98 metres |
| Hazards: | Some road walking | ||
| Distance: | 11.7 miles (18.9 km) | Refreshments: | Welton |
Part 1 - Hessle to South Cave (11.7 miles)
This section is a fairly easy going introduction to the Wolds Way. There is some climbing as every stage of the way crosses over rolling wolds landscape but you start today by walking on the flat for some time before heading into the hills. The first 2.5 miles of the Wolds Way from its start at Hessle Haven are done walking alongside the banks of the Humber as it stretches upstream inland to its source, the confluence of the River Ouse and River Trent, seven miles further on from where the Wolds Way leaves it at North Ferriby. Enjoy this first three miles and gaze across the wide expanse of the river to its southern bank almost two miles away that make the river appear more like a sea channel than a river, especially on a misty day. These three miles are spent relaxingly and on level ground before you turn inland and head north gently climbing through woods to Welton.
The village of Welton is reached by walking through three wooded plantations, Long Plantation, Terrace Plantation and Bow Plantation that are separated by the footbridge crossing of the A63(T) at Melton which is the extension of the M62 through the city of Hull to the docks and ferry ports. The woods are enchanting to walk through and a quiet sanctuary from the bustle of the motorway and city that surround them. Terrace Plantation is the part of the Wolds Way where the first climb is made, up to the heady height of 70 metres. Bow Plantation also has a stiff little climb as an introduction to it. This plantation leads you to the fringes of Welton. A short detour into the village is recommended. When in Welton visit the church and quaint mill pond (see Welton Walk) and if you have the time or thirst call into the Green Dragon Inn, a lovely quiet village pub with an infamous past for it was here that the highwayman Dick Turpin was finally captured. From Welton to Brantingham you begin to walk over the undulating land that is such a feature of the Wolds and it is on this stretch that they really begin. Walk through the lovely dales of Welton and Elloughton (see Brantingham Walk) to the fringes of Brantingham village.
The final part of this first stage is confirmation that the Wolds Way is going to be a great walking experience. Although the walk doesn't have the steep climbs and heady heights of the Coast to Coast, a Lakeland walk, or even the Cornish Coastal Path, it does present some short stiff climbs that will help any walker to get fit. The first of these is the climb out of Brantingham at 40 metres high to the top of Ellerker North Wold at 140 metres. The views from the top of the wold are lovely and on a clear day you can see all the way over the plains of the county to industrial South Yorkshire. From Ellerker the way drops to Woodale Farm (see picture) and then into Woo Dale, another picturesque spot. Leaving Woo Dale gives you another lung freshening quick haul up to Mount Airey Farm. From the farm it is a straight forward drop down off Great Wold Side to the fringe of South Cave. Detour from the walk into the town. This is the ideal spot to finish the first stage of the Wolds Way. South Cave is one of the few places of any decent size on the route and has plenty of choices of accommodation. Myself, I awaited my pick-up and reflected on a super days walking. I am so glad I decided to do the Wolds Way. There is climbing to be done and sights to see. I have seen lots of beauty spots already and look forward to the next stage. |
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