- On trail 12.5 mi 20.2 km
- Walking time 5–6 h
- Ascent 370 m 1,200 ft
- Descent 330 m 1,100 ft
- Difficulty Easy
Slow shingle by the Humber, then the first wide view from the Wolds.
Section 1: Hessle to South Cave map
Example stay Cave Castle Hotel (opens in a new tab)
Cross-check: Yorkshire Wolds Way route description . Opened 6 November 2026. The route page gives each section's published miles, which the FAQ uses. The distance at the top of this page is measured along the trail between these towns. A walk off the path to a bed is extra.
The walk
The Humber keeps you company all morning, a wide estuary beside a foreshore of stones and shingle that walks slower than it looks. The Yorkshire Wolds Way turns inland after Welton. Woods climb onto Ellerker North Wold, and the whole estuary opens out behind you. The day ends with a steep drop through Brantingham.
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Official start
Hessle
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The start
Humber Bridge
The start sculpture sits in the shadow of the bridge, with the deck high overhead and the estuary stretching away east toward the sea.
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Ferriby foreshore
Three Bronze Age sewn-plank boats were found in the mud here between 1937 and 1963. A board on the shore tells their story.
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Lunch
Green Dragon, Welton
Dick Turpin, living near Brough as John Palmer, was arrested in 1738, and local legend puts the arrest at this village inn.
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Leave the path
Brantingham war memorial
An elaborate memorial of 1922, built from the stones of Hull's demolished town hall: "one of the most lovably awful things in the East Riding".
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End of section
South Cave
Section 1: Hessle to South Cave overview
The ground
- Foreshore
- Woodland
- Field paths
Slow shingle, then one sharp wooded hill. Gentler than the dales sections, though the stony shore makes the first miles slower than their distance.
Stops
Refreshments
- North Ferriby
- Welton (Green Dragon)
- South Cave
Toilets
- The official route page names no public toilet on this section
Before you go
Opposite direction
South Cave to Hessle
Going the other way, this is the last day, and the steep pull out of Brantingham comes first. From Ellerker North Wold the Humber Bridge is in view, and it grows ahead of you all afternoon along the shore.
Official finish
Hessle
Hessle to South Cave FAQ
How long is Hessle to South Cave?
It is 13 miles (21 km), with a stony shore at the start and one wooded climb.
Where do walkers start the Yorkshire Wolds Way?
Most start at the sculpture under the Humber Bridge, about 3 miles (5 km) from central Hull. The official start is nearby at Hessle Haven, and Hessle has a railway station.
Where can I eat on this section?
The Green Dragon at Welton, about halfway. North Ferriby has shops early on, and South Cave has pubs and shops at the end.
Walk this as a day
Used as Day 1 on the 6-day. Open the planner on that preset, then export a full-trip or per-day GPX.
Open in planner Read the 6-day itinerary
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