Need some fresh air? Try some of our favourite walks around the local area.
If you like water lilies, this is the place for you! With over 100 varieties across two lakes, these unique gardens in the centre of Pocklington are home to a national collection of Hardy Water Lilies.
Burnby Hall was the home of adventurer Major Percy Stewart and the museum has a great collection of artefacts he picked up on his 8 world tours. This includes a feather cloak made from Kiwi feathers the Major was given by a Maori Chief. The museum is well worth a visit but for us the star attraction are the gardens. With so many to choose from you can relax in the Walled Garden, visit the Stumpery or take in the sight of 18,000 Tulip bulbs at the annual festival held in the Aviary Garden.
There is a lot to explore and by the end of the day you’ll be in need of some refreshments. Thankfully the Lilypad Café is one of our favourites in the area. With a good selection of hot and cold food and drinks it also has a good view of the lake. An ideal place to watch people feed the thousands (we’re not exaggerating) of enthusiastic Carp, Roach and Rudd.
The hall and gardens hold an Age UK award for their facilities and most of the gardens are accessible for both wheelchairs and pushchairs, with the exception being the rockery.
The iconic Humber Bridge opened to traffic in 1981 and 5 years later the Humber Bridge Country Park opened. Set in an area used historically for quarrying chalk the park has 48 acres of woods, meadows and wildlife ponds.
There are three trails to follow ranging from 1km to 3km and all have a smooth, firm path. With lots of benches and picnic areas along the way to sit and take in the wildlife our favourite is the meadow trail. In the summer you can sit and watch the huge variety of butterflies that make the park their home and it’s easy to forget the hustle and bustle of Hull.
The park is accessible to wheelchair users and we would suggest the step-free entrance at Hessle Foreshore. This is also where you’ll find the Country Inn Pub a great spot to take in the views of the bridge.
The Humber Bridge Country Park
One of many spectacular nature reserves managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust , the North Cave Wetlands are a great place to see some of East Yorkshire’s wildlife, particularly the large variety of birds that call our area home. With easily accessible hides and covered viewing platforms you don’t have to venture too far from your car to get fantastic views.
The Wetlands are located on Dryham Lane just outside of North Cave and although you’re bound to see things year round, March to September are the best months. There’s a mobile canteen on site and you can enjoy a cup of tea from the hide overlooking the lagoon.
The pretty village of Millington is just a few miles north-east of Pocklington and just a mile outside is Millington Wood. Sitting in a typical Yorkshire Wold valley, the wood is a site of special scientific interest and home to a huge variety of flora and fauna.
Depending on the time of year you visit you can walk through bluebells, be surrounded by amazing colours as autumn arrives, crunch through a snowy, frozen wood or be serenaded by birdsong. The wood covers over 50 acres and from the car park there is an “access for all” route. There are quite a few steep steps up to a high viewpoint so that may not be possible for all but there are plenty of benches scattered along the main route to stop for a breather.
Once you’ve had your fill of the wood a trip back to Millington will give you a choice between the Ramblers Rest Tea Room and The Gait Inn for refreshments.
Fresh air and greenery are a true restorative, so we hope you’ve found somewhere on our list you’d like to explore next time you’re out with friends and family. It’s remarkable what a little bit of nature can do!
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