Sarah, Andy S and I made a trip to Hull last weekend. The purpose being to recce the routes for the forthcoming Stockport Community Cycling Club weekend. Our first recce was the Saturday ride. This would see us cycle out to the River Humber and view the Humber Bridge.

So it was that we arrived at Elsham Wolds industrial estate, where the ride would start from. Here we met with a problem. The plotted route out was along an old road, only, this road had a big ‘Do not trespass’ sign on it. Hmmm …

A quick rethink and we set off instead along another old road around some fields. There are quite a few these old roads around this area due to the presence of former airstrips.

Eventually, we joined Middlegate Lane. We later came across a section of this lane that will be wide enough and long enough for us to use as a starting point for the ride when we repeat it in September.

This is a fantastic lane to follow as very little traffic seems to use it. Furthermore, as it traces the top of Elsham Wolds hill it provides some excellent views out towards the Humber estuary.

After seven miles we turned right on to a national byway and followed this for a while.

This took us to Barton-upon-Humber where we joined NCN Route 1.

We took a detour to the Humber Bridge viewing park (though we discovered later that we won’t need to do this since there are other good views of the bridge elsewhere on the route).

Then we decided to cycle over the bridge.

Once we had cycled over the bridge, we cycled back again on the other side!

We then crossed another bridge, a much smaller one, to the Waters’ Edge Visitor Centre and Country Park.

Within the visitor centre, there is the Honey Pot Cafe. The food, while basic was fine, certainly enough for a coffee stop, and the staff very helpful.

Afterwards, we took one last look at the bridge.

Then we rejoined NCN Route 1. We followed this for seven miles.

There isn’t too much to say really, the photos show just how quiet and picturesque this route is. This is farming country, so we didn’t cycle through any villages.

We arrived back on the edges of Elsham Wolds having cycled 29 miles. We expect on the club weekend this route will cover 26 miles. Or for those who do not wish to cycle over the Humber Bridge,  just under 22 miles.

You can view our Humber Bridge recce route below: