Often a new year and the arrival of Spring leads us all to contemplate new beginnings, trying something for the first time and looking forward to the possibilities the summer season can hold. This year, in East Yorkshire, we’re feeling that with a whole lot more gravitas as we find ourselves back with some semblance of normality, which brings with it all the things we love about East Yorkshire. This year we welcome the return of events, old and new, take a fresh look at our coastline, find some out of the ordinary puffins and will have one big Birthday celebration.
So find out what’s new for 2022 in East Yorkshire.
The Yorkshire Wolds Way turns the Big 4 - 0!
That’s right the Yorkshire Wolds Way National Trail is celebrating 40 years of having visitors enjoy it. The Yorkshire Wolds, currently being considered for a status of an Area of Outstanding Beauty (AONB) by Natural England, is a crescent of stunning countryside extending from Hessle foreshore to Filey Bay and the 79 mile trail takes in the best views, beautiful scenery with some art along the way. There are a series of events and activities to take part in this year to celebrate with the Yorkshire Wolds, including the chance to submit your favourite ideas and photos of the trail to be published in the celebratory leaflet and postcard series. Artists Stef and Ian Mitchell have created a series of pieces that celebrate the trail, which will be on display throughout the year at various locations beginning at Bridlington Spa. The series of happenings (yet to be announced) will culminate on the trail’s official Birthday (2nd October), when the entire trail will be walked in one day by having groups walk each section simultaneously - this is set to be very popular and it would be well worth considering accommodation you may want to book if you want to take part!
Puffins! Glorious Puffins!
It’s fair to say most of us in East Yorkshire eagerly await these little birds returning to Flamborough and Bempton cliffs on an annual basis, not only are they extremely cute and quite clearly one of our favourite birds, but the’re return also signals warmer days ahead and the start of Spring! That being said, this year you’ll find a totally different breed of puffin in East Yorkshire. These ones are 1.5 metres tall, individually designed and dotted all around East Yorkshire … oh yea and they’re sculptures! Can you think of a more perfect way to celebrate the East Yorkshire coastline than a trail of uniquely designed puffins? This forty strong colony of puffins will be here from July to October and will inhabit some rather unlikely puffin habitats including Bridlington, Beverley, Withernsea, Hornsea and Hull as well as coastal locations from Bempton to Easington and Kilnsea. Keep an eye on their page for the release of the puffin trails.
Take a Snap! of the Coast
‘A photo is a snapshot in time’ is a cliche of the modern day world while we live our lives through snaps, social feeds and our ever trusty smartphones. But what if that photo of East Yorkshire’s coast you took today could help in researching coastal erosion in our area while also giving you an insta-worthy snap for your feed? Use East Yorkshire’s 26 perfectly positioned, expertly designed and crafted photo posts to take your photo, and upload it to the CoastSnap app where every picture in that location will be gathered to monitor changes through seasons and erosion. These posts can be found in East Yorkshire’s key coastal locations; Bempton, Flamborough, Hornsea, Withernsea and Spurn Point where the coastline changes from towering chalk cliffs to sand spit of Spurn Point - both as dramatic and stunning as each other. Find out more here.
‘If I take one more step, it’ll be the farthest away from home I’ve ever been’ - Samwise Gamgee
Yep, J. R. Tolkien’s world is being explored again… and we can’t wait for Amazon Prime to drop their brand new series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power this Autumn. While the TV series will be exploring storylines and characters not yet seen on screen, East Yorkshire’s landscape is still the home of much of Tolkien’s inspiration. During his time in East Yorkshire during 1917-1918 he explored many of the towns and villages along the East Yorkshire Coast, some of which have now changed due to coastal erosion. Find out more about Tolkien’s time here in the Tolkien Triangle Blog.
Take my hand and let’s… Bounce!
Jump Inc have landed at Flemingate, Beverley and are making the world of bounce bigger, better and more fun than ever. Jump Inc, who have indoor parks across the UK, are extending the Beverley site and launching some amazing new features such as zip lines, drop slides, a neon ninja course, an interactive punch wall as well as trampolines, reaction walls and tumble tracks and much more - of course not forgetting the existing inflatable park. And all of this is for family friendly, value for money prices - keep an eye out for fantastic offers! We can’t wait for the doors to open on the extension and we hear that date is coming soon!
If all this isn’t enough to keep you busy, 2022 will also see the return of many of the region's favourite events including Race the Waves, Bridlington Kite Festival, the Walking East Yorkshire Festival, Beverley Festival of Christmas and many many more. Keep an eye on the What’s On page to hear about upcoming events.