Distance: 13.70 miles
Ascent: 83m metres
Duration:
You shall not pass
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A very careful look at the map shows the bridleway leading north out of Hornsea has a hundred metre gap at Double Gates. A sign on the ground points out that those continuing do so at their own risk. This was positively welcoming compared to a sign we saw a little later.
Generally we've been trying to respect landowners' wishes when walking along the East Yorkshire coast. Today, one passive-aggressive sign was too much, and I refused to be deterred.
"Pardon my French," said a local dog walker after telling us what he thought of them as we climbed back onto the public highway past even more 'Keep Out' signs. "They're just annoyed," he went on to explain, "their land tumbled over the edge so they've had to buy another strip from the farmer."
For the rest of the day we felt positively welcomed, despite the fact that once again we were generally not on rights of way. Mostly these paths were through caravan parks that we came to know by their unique selling points: the one with the Costa; the one with the golf course; the one with the CCTV; the one with the Camelot amusement arcade; the one with the road falling into the sea; the really lovely one.
Beyond Barmston wide sands beckoned so we dropped onto the beach. A stretch further up is used by naturists, and as we passed one man was filming his partner who must have dropped a contact lens while getting dressed since she was crawling around on all fours a fair bit. [Ed: I'm not sure his filming was that innocent, actually.]
Eventually the prom came into view and we made our way into Bridlington, stopping on the northern side of the harbour, ready for another long day tomorrow.
Notes for future walkers:
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