Aaahhhh, that's better, fully refreshed after a good nights sleep. Yesterday I walked 14.3 miles, not a great distance for me, easily achievable in the five and a half hours it took me. I bought a new Ordnance Survey map last week of Kingston upon Hull and surrounding areas, more places to explore in a day out.
It was a last minute decision to go out, there was a record on the radio just before 9am in the morning, some pop group singing 'Should I stay, or should I go'. I looked out of the window and decided to go. It was very misty but the sun was trying to break through, it had the potential of being a nice day, so I quickly stuffed a few things in my little backpack and drove to Barton to catch the bus over the Humber Bridge to Hull. I got out at the bus station in the city centre and started walking. I planned to walk eastbound for as far as I could alongside the river, there was a good path marked on the map.
I crossed the busy main A63 road and headed for the Marina. In the first three photo's you can see a lovely blue sky, it wasn't so blue looking in the other direction over the water, there was still a heavy mist swirling about. I love the ornate top of the Whittington & Cat Public House. It's so nice that it has been preserved.
There are always a lot of boats in the Marina.
The Minerva Pub has been talked about a lot by Burnsy on his morning show on BBC Radio Humberside. It's future has been hanging in the balance for a long time. There have been a lot of financial problems and it has recently been closed for a while. I spoke to the men working on the front cleaning it up, they tell me that it has a new owner so things may be looking up. I have found a smashing article about it, you may wish to read more about this historical pub.
Onward along the waters edge I went. Next comes a few misty photo's, looking out over the Humber.
A jogger passes me. Looks like the timbers from the old docks have been left in place. The paved walkway continues for quite a long distance making easy walking.
Relics of old piers, warehouses, and landing stages. The sun was making a valiant attempt to break through.
I passed a large sign which said that the lock gates may be open further ahead to allow boats to pass through to enter Alexandra Dock, and there could ba a two hour period when the path would be inaccessible to walkers and cyclists. There was no indication of the times that this may happen, so I took my chances and carried on along the concrete walkway. Some fifteen minutes later I arrived at the lock only to find the gates open, my way was closed. I pondered for a few minutes, wondering if I should retrace my steps and go the long way round. Then I noticed these two little boats, side by side, hooked up together, heading towards the lock. Are my prayers about to be answered? They were.
Their shift was over, and they entered the lock.
Parked up for a few minutes while the first gates were closed, waiting for the second gates further down to open. My path is about to be re instated.
Now I can cross, phew, that's a relief.
The next landmark along the waters edge is King George Dock, where the big passenger ferries come into. This is The Pride of Rotterdam, which parks just outside the dock entrance. The Zeebrugge ferry goes into the dock, I couldn't get close enough for a good picture of that.
At this point the footpath goes up some steps and over the top of the road which takes the cars onto the ferry. Still a bit of mist about.
I took a couple of pics of the docks on the other side as I was going over the top.
Next there was a long walk alongside a lot of sheds. This is Salt End Jetty. At this point the path goes inland a bit, and goes round the outer edges of an industrial area. The noise from the chemical works and power station was deafening, a good idea to take the hearing aid out, ha ha.
I came across this fox snoozing in the afternoon sun. By this time it had warmed up, turning into a beautiful sunny day. I got quite hot.
Now according to the map the path I am following comes to an abrupt end, but no matter, I was going to try my luck and see if I could find a way to join the road. A big sign told me that the path was ending, but I saw some tyre marks on the ground which told me that cyclists have passed that way before, so I followed their tracks. I knew I had to cross a railway line, but as luck would have it, it was a disused line so easy to cross. Then I came across a couple of Environmental Agency vans, they must have been driven there from the road. I asked the man if I could walk to the road. He said yes, follow the track. Whooppeeee, YES, I came out just where I wanted to be. Next was a bit of road walking. I had made my mind up to walk to Paull, a village further down the Humber. There was a footpath from the road which would take me there. As I had done a big loop, I found myself on the other side of the Salt End Jetty. This is where the tanker ships come in, to service the huge chemical works.
Here we are in Paull. In the main street is this lighthouse. Looks rather grand standing at the junction where two roads meet, close to the waters edge.
There is a museum just outside the village, closed for the winter, open again in March. Taken from the web site. Explore 500 years of history within the walls of this superb Napoleonic fortress set in 10 acres with magnificent views over the Humber estuary. It has quite an interesting history, check out wiki if you want to know more. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Paull
My mission was to carry on walking untill I could walk no further. There is a little peninsular which juts out onto the mud. It's called Cherry Cobb Sand Bank. Almost there, a couple of light houses to pass.
That's it, the end of the path, time to go back.
Twas a lovely day out. I retraced my steps back to Paull village, hoping to get a bus back to Hull. Couldn't understand the timetable at the shelter, it looked as if it might be another hour before a bus arrived. I decided to walk to Hedon, another couple of miles, a bigger place so a better chance of getting a bus. Again my luck was holding out, I arrived at the bus stop and within ten minutes a bus arrived. Straight into the bus station to get my connection back across the bridge to Barton and my waiting car. Brilliant. Didn't spend any money, took my own food and drink. Can't beat it. Toodle pip.
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