1. Hornsea Mere (5.7 miles)
2. Rolston Community Wood (1.6 miles)
3. Nunkeeling Priory (8.6 miles)
4. Bewholme and Dunnington (4 miles)
1. Hornsea Mere Circular (5.7 miles, easy)
This easy, leisurely walk starts and ends at Kirkholme Point. There are a few gates to negotiate but no stiles. The land around the Mere is an SSSI and usually has sheep, cattle and suchlike grazing, so dogs should be kept on leads. Waterproof boots may be desirable through winter as the ground can be very muddy.
The route is shown here in blue on an OS map (Crown copyright). Click it for a larger version.
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| Mere circuit route |
Walk back through the entrance you came in through and go straight ahead to the main road. Turn right and follow the road to Tesco roundabout.
Turn right along Hull Road and after about half a mile you'll see a gate on your right into the fields (there's a black waste bin near it).
Follow the footpath through the fields and go though 2 kissing gates into Snipe Ground. Continue straight ahead, following the obvious path. The ground gets very muddy through winter here so watch where you walk.
Follow the path through another 3 kissing gates until you meet the track. Turn right and go through the gate, following the track West towards Wassand Hall.
Continue on the track, through 2 gates past Wassand Hall and walk down the tree-lined tarmac drive to the main road (A1035). Turn left here, then right up Mill Lane.
Follow the road past the electricity sub-station and take the footpath on the right through the field. Continue on the path until you meet a hedgerow, the path goes left up the field boundary and then goes right. Walk straight ahead following the path and field edge until the path goes down hill to the main road again.
Turn left along the road and walk into Hornsea.
At the roundabout go straight ahead, keeping on the right hand side of the road. Go past the Victoria, Rose and Crown and New Inn pubs (unless you're thirsty of course!) and through the traffic lights. The entrance to Hornsea Mere is on your right about 500 metres along the road.
2. Rolston Community Wood circular (1.6 miles, very easy)
The route is shown in red on this ordnance survey map (Crown Copyright). Click for a larger view.
From the car walk south until you see the footpath finger post pointing inland (right) over a stile and into the field (1). There are usually donkeys in the field but they are very friendly so don't worry. Walk on past the pond and over another stile, through a gate, and into the next field. The path goes diagonally left into the far corner.
Go through the gate and follow the path along the top of the field, through another gate and cross the track. The path goes straight on, with the large arable field to your right.
Follow the path until you come to a small area of trees where the path goes left or right (2 on the route map). The ordnance survey map shows the footpath going straight ahead, but this leads through the field and over the golf course to Hull Road. This walk does not follow that path.
Going right will take you around the trees and misses the pond, so you can follow the clear path all the way around the field to arrive at point (3), as shown in red on the route above.
Going left-ish will take you round to the pond which is a real delight in spring and summer. There is a seat for two people where you can sit and enjoy the peace and quiet overlooking the pond, which has loads of birds and dragonflies through summer.
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| Rest and B thankful sign by the pond |
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| Pond Wood pond |
Following the path around the pond and going off piste to explore the woodland, remembering to bear right to steer clear of the fields, stud farm and golf course, will eventually get you to point (3) on the map. I don't want to be too specific on a route here as I found that just wandering around this small wood was great. There are cut paths/rides through the trees so just meander along them to your heart's content until you decide it's time to head home.
Head for point (3) on the map above and turn right to follow the bridleway back to Rolston village, go through the farm buildings and turn right at the end of the track to get back to where you came in.
3. Nunkeeling Priory (8.6 miles, moderate due to distance)
This walk starts and ends at Wassand. The route is shown in red on this map and heads through Seaton, Catfoss, Nunkeeling, almost to Bewholme and back. Mainly fields and a some quiet country road walking.
Park down the drive to Wassand Hall which is at the western end of Hornsea Mere and walk back up to the road. Turn left then right up Mill Lane. Go past the electricity substation and 50 yards on is a footpath clearly signed with a finger post, turn left along this path towards Seaton.
Go out onto the road and turn left into Seaton then at the junction walk more or less straight ahead along Back Lane. Follow the road until you come to the pond and then locate the footpath on the right that heads through the field. Follow this path through fields until you arrive at point A on the map, where you turn right along the road, heading north towards Catfoss.
Walk along the road exercising the usual caution and walk facing oncoming traffic as there is no footpath or pavement. It is a quiet country lane with little traffic. Carry on up the road past Catfoss Grange until you come to a T juntion with the Bewholme road - turn right here and then left shortly afterwards towards Nunkeeling.
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| The left turn to Nunkeeling |
Continue walking north along this road until you come to a right hand bend in the road with farm buildings on the inside of the bend (right hand side). Just past the bend you'll see a long white gate with a sign saying Nunkeeling Priory. The building behind the gate isn't the priory so don't go through it. Instead walk a little further and you'll see a white door in a wall - this leads into the priory.
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| This is not the priory entrance |
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| The priory entrance door |
Leaving the priory (please ensure you secure the door as you leave) turn right along the road and follow it as it goes east and you'll eventually arrive back on the Bewholme road, turn left along it and go into Bewholme, point C on the map.
About 40 yards after the Bewholme sign, look for a small pond on the right hand side of the road. The footpath goes down the fields from here but it isn't signposted, so you just need to go through the hedge past a large post with no apparent use and into the field that looks like an allotment. The path isn't clear but carry on about 100 yards until you reach a field. Again the path isn't clear but I followed tractor tyre marks through the crops straight ahead and then veered right to the field corner to pick up the path again.
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| Stay off the crop and follow tractor tyre marks |
This path goes all the way south to Seaton so carry on and enjoy the peace of the fields and hedgerows.
The footpath actually strays from the marked route but just follow the obvious path along a new fence and you'll be fine. The path becomes a track as you get towards Seaton.
Back into Seaton and walk the way you came along Back Lane and straight on to reach the footpath back into the field on the right through the hedge (opposite the cottage). Walk on to Mill Lane and turn right, then turn left when you get to the main Hornsea road. Wassand Hall drive is on the right and hopefully your carriage awaits.
4. Bewholme and Dunnington (4 miles, easy)
A steady walk through arable fields, along hedgerows and returning on a quiet country road. Note you don't actually go into Dunnington, but pass by the village.
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| The route |
Park in Bewholme - I used the small area opposite the church - and walk south, turning right onto Catfoss Road.
Walk along the road about 300 yards and take a footpath on the right.
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| Take this footpath on the right |
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| Not signposted but turn right here |
As you approach Dunnington you'll see the small church up ahead.
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| Dunnington church |
If you want a place to sit down for a rest then I recommend the porch of the church. I sat there to ring my socks out as it had been raining the night before I walked through here, and the long grass was still very wet.
Take the footpath on the right to begin your return to Bewholme.
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| The path to Bewholme |
The walk back is much the same as the walk up, along pleasant fields and paths. I didn't see a single person on my walk so you should expect a peaceful meander.
This telegraph pole has been taken over by ivy!
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| No leaves on the ivy so I guess it's been killed off |
Carry on along the footpath until you walk through a farm yard and emerge onto the B road. Turn right here to walk south along the road back to Bewholme. Only one car passed me on my walk down so it is pretty quiet (hopefully).
I did this walk in July 2021 and saw the usual farmland birds and wildlife:
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