Filey to Felixtowe?

What better place to start a (possible) trip round the North Sea than the place where I first saw it. Filey is where I spent all my school holidays in the 70's - it has hardly changed since then and is none the worse for that. I had a look round the old haunts, and headed for a campsite in nearby Hunmanby. Alas! It appeared to be a members only site, so I went on to Grange Farm at Flamborough, at £3.50 the cheapest campsite I’ve encountered for quite a while. Only the first day, and already my carefully-hatched plans were unravelling (I love the mixed metaphors!)

Bike, paddling pool and Filey Brig in the background


The promised wet weather arrived, and this put me off exploring Flamborough Head, but instead headed south down the Holderness coast.

The coast near Skipsea

The weather certainly emphasised why the coast is washing into the sea so fast. I wanted to go to Spurn Head the following day, but no-one was in when I rang the only campsite near there. In increasing rain, and by now totally wet through, I headed towards a site I knew was open and affordable, at Barton-on-Humber. This involved a ride along parts of two very bumpy disused railway lines, and negotiating Hull. I lost the NCN route signs to the Humber Bridge, and ended up retreating from a very nasty fast A road having to push my bike the wrong way down a slip road. Then I found a cycle shop and the young chap there gave me a leaflet with the Hull cycle routes on - I could have kissed him!

It still seemed to be a long way to the bridge, and when I got there it looked very long, high, and narrow over a swirling coffee-coloured expanse of water, and through pelting rain. And I'd thought I was going for an easy option, the dry East coast! A memorable crossing, made more interesting by the waterfalls of water deposited on the cycle path, and me, from every passing lorry. So I ended up at Silver Birches Campsite very wet, put up a soggy tent, stuffed my shoes with newspaper and put my camping cooker on. Cup of tea and some pasta and all was well. (Lidl dried pasta in mushroom sauce - very good).

Humber Bridge from Far Ings Nature Reserve

Barton-on-Humber has several nature reserves, an arts centre, two historic churches and plenty of shops. I was kept busy and had plenty of opportunities to evade the stormy weather, and some interesting chats with people at the visitor centres. The rising tide is a popular topic of conversation. But I had 'done' the Holderness coast in one day, not the three I had intended! I kicked myself for not ringing round more of the campsites beforehand, but also started planning a little trip to catch up what I had missed - another time.

The following day I interacted more than necessary with Grimsby, but found an excellent cycle route out of Cleethorpes past sand dunes. It was Sunday, it was sunny, and lots of people were out enjoying themselves. I stayed at West End Farm a few miles from Louth for a couple of nights - I'd been to the site earlier in the summer, and been fascinated by the rather strange Lincolnshire marshes. This time I explored nature reserves at Donna Nook and around, which are very strange.

Donna Nook: the bombing range

Saw a Little Egret, a bird which we hardly used to see in this country, now they are quite frequent in this sort of area. Had a long chat with a woman walking her dog – turned out she used to be a public health officer in Nottingham and in her words "demolished St. Ann’s Well Road – not with a bulldozer but with a piece of paper".

The weather was going off again as I headed for Mablethorpe and another sea-edge cycle path. Bottom gears battling against the wind on the flat! The resort towns and caravan sites here are several metres below the sea - whose idea was it to build there? Ponds created when the sea wall was reinforced after the 1953 storm are now nature reserves. It was too windy along the coast, I headed inland to look at some interesting churches, and a long ride against the wind got me to Havenhouse Campsite near Skegness: another nice little site with a sheltered orchard for little tents.

Markby Church - note bicycle for scale

Next day I went to Gibraltar Point, which involved either cycling on, or on a narrow path next to, one of the A roads into Skeggy, but it was worth it. Even Skeggy had its uses - a cycle shop for tyre levers which don’t bend - and great views of the off-shore wind turbines. ‘Gib’ was great - I saw lots of interesting birds and some rather more accomplished birdwatchers told me what they were. But I recognised an avocet all on my own which I was very chuffed about. Was so into the birdwatching I didn't get to the cafe!!

I had to return to Nottingham for a few days, so the next day was the last day of this leg of the trip. It involved another assault of the headwind - even though I had 'turned the corner' into the Wash. Off into fen country and big fields and a general odour of cabbage. Best find of the day - Wainfleet has a caff! After some striking churches and a hunt for the sea, which was a long, long way out, I had to head for Boston 'stump' and find the station to return home - at least until part 2.

Boston Stump - note bicycle for scale!

All the campsites are on

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/ and I'd recommend them all.