From Hornsea to Bridlington on the beach

A spring tide, a couple of hours after high tide gave me an opportunity to do this walk that I had planned for some time. A warm, sunny day was something that couldn't be planned, but gave the perfect setting to enjoy this northern section of the coast of the Holderness peninsula. I took the 24 EY bus to Hornsea and got to Marine Drive at 9:30. I walked along the promenade and descended the steps to the beach. A wide expanse was already available. I explored the sandy upper beach and spotted two Small Coppers and two Common Blue butterflies. After some more recording it was time to start walking. The sky is so clear that Flamborough cliffs are visible on the horizon.

The view north from Marine Drive.

Cormorants.

Small Copper.

The upper beach just north of Hornsea.

Woodpigeons drinking from a small rivulet of fresh water draining from the cliffs.

Meadow Pipit.

The beach is mostly sand, peppered with small pebbles, with shingly sections in places, and pleasantly firm under foot. Soon I reach Double Gates, the entrance to a boatyard compound. Here the erosion is more noticeable, with an undercut at the bottom of the cliff excavated by the sea and a steeper beach. 

Double Gates.

Undercut at the cliff.

Looking back towards Hornsea.

Digging for bait.

A few people are walking dogs, or digging for bait, but away from easy descent points, soon there are few people around. The wide beach encourages sea birds to land and loaf. Herring Gulls, large groups of Common Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, and the occasional Great Black-back Gull form loose groups. Terns, both Sandwich and Common, often sit on the edges of these gull flocks. Even Cormorants sit at the edge of the water, wings open, preening. Walking north on such a sunny day with the sun on your back makes it easier to scan these flocks looking for something rarer, and this is how I spot the only Mediterranean Gull I see today.

Great Black-back Gull.

Sandwich Terns.

Adult Mediterranean Gull.

At particular places there have been slumps of sections of cliff. These sometimes male the the vegetated slopes more accessible. I climb one of these slumps near Skipsea Withow and I find two Araneus quadratus or Four Spot Orb-weaver on their webs, which they usually hang low on the vegetation.

Araneus quadratus.

The layer of dark peat marking the Withow Gap, the site of an old drained mere.

A trunk section sticking out of the peat. This was the site of a Beaver dam.

Withow Gap from the beach.

I stop for a quick lunch on the gap. A Buzzard soars over the field, and a Kestrel hovers later, announced with the alarm calls of Swallows. The view to the north is quite wonderful from this spot (top shot).

Buzzard.

The infilled lake bed is now a pasture.

Kestrel over the pasture field.

A loafing group of Common Gulls.

Balls of peat eroded from the cliff face litter the beach north of Withow Gap.

Common Gull.

One of two Wheatears on the Galleon Beach fish and chips, which is now perilously close to the cliff edge. The old coastal defences of Ulrome long gone.

I climb the small cliff to avoid walking on the outflow at Barmston Main Drain, where there are many birds gathered, them climb the rocks back down to continue on the beach.

Steps cut onto the clay offer beach access to the holiday park.

North of Barmston, there is no cliff, the beach is separated from the footpath by a small step, the sand blowing onto the adjacent field. This low lying land is the site of another old mere, a layer of peat visible on the beach.

The exposed layer of peat on the beach north of Barmston.

The low lying land has a couple of drains onto the beach.

Sand Martin colony. I saw a couple of Sand Martins in flight, but the colonies scattered along the walk were eerily quiet, the young probably all fledged and gone.

As I approach Fraisthorpe beach, I spot a group of Tree Sparrows on the clifftop bushes. I walk to the Cow's Shed cafe, looking forward to a hot drink, but I'm disappointed to find that they close on Mondays (and Tuesdays!). I make a quick stop to drink water on the picnic benches, and as I leave the cafe grounds, I see five Yellow Wagtails on the path, a lovely surprise that compensates for the lack of coffee! I have seen them on the farm before and I'm very pleased they are hanging around. Bridlington is less than 5 km away, and I increase my pace to catch the 15:40 train to Hull.

Tree Sparrows.

Yellow Wagtail.

Yellow Wagtails.