Why East Yorkshire Is One of England’s Most Overlooked Escapes

Hull, where cargo meets creativity

Hull has experiencced a renaissance as an art and cultural hub.Photo: Brookgardener /Shutterstock

After starring on many a “worst places to live in the UK” listicles, East Yorkshire’s largest city fought back and carved out a name for itself as a hub for culture and the arts. The seaport was transformed ahead of 2017 when it was designated the UK’s City of Culture and has since become known as Hullywood after catching the eye of location scouts. Most museums are free, and I always appreciate the sense of space in Hull — the wide, heavily pedestrianized streets and waterfront setting adds a breathability often lacking in large cities.

Compact and walkable, the city center has just enough to pad out a pre-countryside pitstop. The Street Life Museum will give you a feel for life in the 1940s and a mosey through the Victorian Hepworth Arcade supports indie booksellers and knick-knack stores. The Deep, a hulking aquarium in the shape of a ship’s prow, stands at the confluence of the River Hull and Humber Estuary. I’d recommend grabbing a cask ale at The Minerva, a cozy pub with a beer garden, and basking in the views of Terry Farrell’s groundbreaking design.

Conclude in the Fruit Market’s cobbled streets where dockside warehouses have been given a fresh life by independent restaurants, cafés, bars, galleries, and street artists. Thieving Harry’s is where to go for lunch or a slice of cake where you’ll get a flavor for Hull’s industrial past while enjoying a creative atmosphere.

Hiking the way of nomads in the Yorkshire Wolds

Filey Brigg earns its title as a site of Special Scientific Interest. Photo: Hannah D. Cooper

Once you’ve brushed up on history, the great, chalky outdoors awaits. For those looking to smash your daily steps, there’s the Yorkshire Wolds Way. Running from Hessle on the banks of the Humber to the seaside town of Filey, this 79-mile National Trail requires five or six days to complete. With minimal elevation, this is one of the country’s most accessible backpacking trails, with lodges dotted throughout the route. While the aerobics won’t leave you breathless, the scenes of pastoral northern England will, particularly as this hiking trail is so lightly trafficked you’ll walk for miles without bumping into another soul.

Otherwise, there are shorter trails. The Fridaythorpe loop (seven miles) immerses you in the East Riding’s landscapes and agricultural pastures. For a touch of history, the Wharram Percy circular (2.7 miles) dips into North Yorkshire where you’ll encounter an abandoned medieval village apparently wiped out during the Black Death. Excavations thus far have revealed the foundations for two stately homes, a slew of peasant dwellings, and an 11th century stone church.

A relatively young addition to England’s hiking scene, the Wold Rangers Way is a 44-mile route inspired by the itinerant farm workers who sought seasonal work during the 19th and 20th centuries. The route starts and ends in Driffield, the Capital of the Wolds, while shorter variations include the Horsehair Jack Trod (nine miles) and Mad Halifax (22 miles), named for the nomads who first trod these trails.

If you decide to follow in the well-trodden footsteps of locals and tackle the entire circuit in one day, I’d recommend booking lodging at The Highfield. Nobody will bat an eyelid whether you rock up in muddy boots or your Sunday best at this eclectic yet down-to-earth boutique hotel in one of England’s most overlooked market towns.

Finding puffins on the East Yorkshire Coast

Bempton Cliffs overlook the sea. Photo: Hannah D. Cooper

Flamborough Head, a chalk promontory with a lighthouse fashioned from chalk rubble, is the northernmost point of the East Riding’s 50-mile coastline. From here, it’s a 12-mile out-and-back walk to Bempton Cliffs, where puffins, gannets, and kittiwakes nest over the summer months. May and June are the best months for sightings, although the reserve is open all year and makes for a pleasant, albeit blustery, walk during late fall and winter. The reserve is staffed by eagle-eyed volunteers who will help you locate the puffins, which are surprisingly dinky and challenging to spot. I always take binoculars, but it’s possible to rent them or use the telescopes stationed at lookouts. The 30-minute walk to the reserve from Bempton Station also makes for fine sea views over the meadows.

As for the classic British seaside experience, Bridlington is a traditional resort with a busy harbor, fish and chip kiosks aplenty, and shorefront amusements. The Grade-I-listed Sewerby Hall is a short walk along the headland; the house is a beauty, but don’t miss the Amy Johnson exhibit. As the first woman to fly solo from the UK to Australia, having some chat up your sleeve about the late Hull-born aviator is an easy way to make friends in the East Riding, whether down the pub or roaming the Wolds.

Filey (technically in North Yorkshire but “adopted” by the East Riding) is a polished beach town, with Edwardian architecture and a broad sandy beach culminating at Filey Brigg. This rocky peninsula is accessible at low tide and makes you feel like you’re at the end of the world. Everytime I visit, I feel like spotting a Plesiosaur wouldn’t be out of the ordinary.

Beverley, a quintessential market town

St. Mary’s Church is one of Beverley’s most historic sites. Photo: Robert Harding Video /Shutterstock

Headlined by the Gothic minister, Beverley feels almost like a miniature York, without the crowds. It was granted market town status (the legal right to hold a regular market back) in the medieval period — think of it as the prototype for the modern day mall. These days, Wednesdays and Saturdays are the designated days when farmers, producers, and artisans gather to sell and trade goods.

This link between rural and town is preserved at Beverley Westwood, a medieval common land where residents were permitted to free-graze their livestock. In fact, you’ll notice a couple of cows as you build up an appetite in this vast park right on the edge of town. Although Malton, the county’s food capital, takes the biscuit for Yorkshire dining, Beverley’s food scene puts up a good fight — you’ll find a solid mix of British and global cuisine. For seasonal British fare, book at table at The Westwood before tumbling into a four-posted bed at the Beverley Arms Hotel, a restored coaching inn.

Getting around the East Riding of Yorkshire

Bridlington’s harbor is an engaging place for a stroll. Photo: Hannah D. Cooper

As you’ll see on the map, the East Riding is somewhat detached from the main line connecting London with Leeds, York, and Edinburgh. However, the area is sufficiently served by rail to make car hire unnecessary.

Northern Rail connects Hull with Leeds, York, and Sheffield. Consider investing in a Round Robin or North East Rover ticket: these passes cover one day or multiple days of train travel in the region at a discounted price, and are available exclusively at train stations. Alternatively, the Northern Explorer Ticket allows up to four days of hop-on, hop-off travel and may be purchased online or via the Northern Rail app.

While a combination of train and walking is the best way to get around the East Riding, car rental may be preferable for accessing smaller villages or for family groups. The East Riding might feel a little removed from the rest of Yorkshire, but there’s a good reason these landscapes served as the muse for the late David Hockney.