With restrictions easing, destinations and attractions are gearing up to welcome back visitors safely, in line with the Government’s roadmap. Travel will be back on the agenda for 2021… so, for when the time is right, here are a few new treats to welcome visitors back to East Yorkshire.
Curiouser and curiouser… how all roads from London lead to East Yorkshire
What links two of the UK’s hottest new exhibitions, David Hockney: The Arrival of Spring, Normandy, 2020 at The Royal Academy, and Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser at The V&A, with East Yorkshire? For curious travellers, they might provide temptation for delving a little deeper down these particular rabbit holes. For Hockney fans, East Yorkshire is the place to discover the inspiration behind some of his most celebrated brushstrokes and landscapes, with a self-guided ‘David Hockney Trail’ (). The medieval Minster town of Beverley, meanwhile, offers a fascinating connection to Lewis Carroll’s Alice. At St Mary’s Church you may spot a carving of a familiar character – a perky upright rabbit. Often missed by visitors, he dates to about 1330 and is thought to be the inspiration for Carroll’s White Rabbit ().
20 years after ‘The Lord of the Rings’ movie, follow in Tolkien’s footsteps
Tolkien fans are eagerly awaiting a new small screen version of the Lord of the Rings from Amazon Prime, which could air in December 2021 – the 20th anniversary of the theatrical release of the original ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ movie. The new series is bound to rekindle worldwide interest in all things Tolkien. J R R Tolkien spent about 18 months in East Yorkshire during World War 1 and today, visitors can explore the ‘Tolkien Triangle’
Seaside glamping with vineyard views
Flamborough Glamping & Vineyard is a new development of eight luxury glamping pods – surrounded by the sea on three sides – and next to 7,500 newly planted vines, which it is hoped will eventually produce wines for guests to enjoy while overlooking the vineyard from their pod. Aiming to offer guests a relaxing holiday and nature experience, the pods feature a generously sized bathroom, full sized kitchen space and living area.
Let’s go fly a kite…
East Yorkshire’s dramatic coastal cliffs are set to host some of the world’s largest inflatable kites when the Bridlington Kite Festival returns for 2021. Last year’s event was cancelled, and replaced with a highly successful virtual festival, but this year’s Festival will go ahead. For this year only, the Kite Festival will be held in September, rather than May. Kites of all descriptions, sizes and colours will take to the air for two days of aerial displays over Sewerby Fields, above the popular seaside resort of Bridlington, 11 and 12 September 2021
Experience a top wildlife spectacle at England’s ‘Seabird City’
The impressive chalk cliffs of the RSPB Bempton Cliffs reserve, on the spectacular Yorkshire coast, is home to one of the UK’s top wildlife spectacles. Around half a million seabirds gather here between March and October to raise a family on towering cliffs which overlook the North Sea, earning its nickname of ‘Seabird City’. There are plenty of ‘wow’ moments – not only from the sight and sound of so many nesting birds, but from the smell too! While you’ll spot Gannets, Kittiwakes and Guillemots, all of them offering spectacular sights, the most popular bird must be the iconic puffin, which can be seen between March and June
Tackle England’s oldest horse ‘racecourse’, by bike
England’s oldest horse race, The Kiplingcotes Derby in The Yorkshire Wolds, dates back to the reign of Henry VIII. While the quirky horse race – staged since 1519 on the third Thursday of March – may be an annual one-off, for a different experience, riders can now get in the saddle to tackle the race route…on two wheels. Among the host of cycle routes across the destination, is one from Market Weighton, one of the many attractive villages and market towns in the Yorkshire Wolds, to Pocklington, via the Kiplingcotes ‘racecourse’
Mark 40 years of the Humber Bridge in 2021
Once the world’s longest single-span suspension bridge, the Humber Bridge celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2021. Spanning the Humber Estuary linking Hull with Lincolnshire, its 4,626ft centre span made it the world’s longest until Japan’s Akashi Kaikyō Bridge in 1998. Although plans for a bridge were drawn up in the 1930s, work started in July 1972 and it opened to traffic on 24 June 1981 before being officially opened by the Queen on July 17. It is still the world’s longest bridge that can be crossed on foot or by cycle.
Escape the Everyday in a Starlight Hideaway
Nestled in the sleepy village of Skeffling, near Withernsea, new luxurious rural escape Starlight Hideaway is a bespoke, handmade shepherd’s hut, which offers plenty of luxuries to go with the impressive views. Tucked away in an orchard, and sleeping just two people, it’s the perfect spot for a romantic country getaway, complete with a cast iron log burner, fitted kitchen with integrated hob and fridge, private bathroom, including large shower, and a full-size double bed under a glass skylight. Outside there is an outdoor fire pit and wood-fired hot tub as well as a private seating area, surrounded by apple trees, flowers and views for miles
Unleash a high tide of creativity this summer
Seaside resort Bridlington is set to unveil a high tide of creativity this summer with a festival designed to boost inner creativity. Organisers of the ArtWaves Festival, a vibrant celebration of traditional, digital, contemporary and urban art had to take the traditional spring event online because of Covid restrictions. But they aim to bring a taste of the colourful and popular festival atmosphere back to Bridlington with a special ‘ArtWaves Spin Off’ on Saturday 21 August 2021 with installations, live art and walkabout puppets, alongside the independent galleries of Bridlington
Walking East Yorkshire Festival returns this Autumn
East Yorkshire’s popular Walking and Outdoor Festival is planned to return in September as a celebration of the ‘Great Outdoors’. Whether a walker, cyclist, horse rider, nature lover or history enthusiast, the festival showcases a whole range of activities over nine days which appeal to families, casual walkers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. The full line-up of bookable events is set to appear in July (). Meanwhile, for inspiration, Visit East Yorkshire has asked eight locals to share their favourite walks (https://bit.ly/2LwhA0v).
A harbourside stay
Salt on the Harbour – a restaurant with 7 rooms – on the South Pier at Bridlington is under new management. There are two on-site restaurants as well as a cafe/bar; and the seven stylish rooms are situated within a former RAF hangar overlooking the harbour where T.E.Lawrence worked for the RAF in the 1930s. South Beach is a few steps from the accommodation and the beachside Bridlington Spa entertainment venue is an easy 5-minute walk away. https://bit.ly/35QUWpw
Not forgetting…
East Yorkshire is also home to the medieval minster town of Beverley, historic heritage attractions, stately homes, and gardens, as well as the Yorkshire Wolds, seaside resorts and wildlife rich coastline. For more details, visit www.visiteastyorkshire.co.uk.
