One River One Community

One River One Community, Cycle Ride, 18 miles (optional 7 miles from Hessle)

“PARTICIPATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK”

As part of the Humber Eco Fest, Hull Friends of the Earth are leading a friendly group ride to celebrate cycling as a form of green and healthy travel that brings community together. The ride start 10am in Hull's Queen Victoria Square - close to the historic docks and maritime museum - then follow the Sustrans Transpennine Trail through the St Andrew's area of Hull - once the heart of the fishing community and a reminder of how Hull's previous wealth came from its relationship with river and sea. We'll make our way to Hessle station so that anyone who doesn't fancy the full route can meet us by train. We'll also pop up to the Humber Bridge car park for anyone preferring to join there. The Humber Bridge Country Park – was once a quarry nature has bounced back. Making our way onto the Humber Bridge we'll have panoramic views of the Humber. The river is considered one of the most dangerous in the world with fast tides and shifting sandbanks. With rising sea levels caused by climate change, it seems an increasing source of threat. But it's also a source of sustenance. The Humber is a SSSI Ramsar site due to its internationally important and unique wildlife habitat. And for us humans, the Humber ports provide the things we need to live. Industry around the Humber offers jobs and supplies essential commodities but at a cost to the environment. The Humber Bridge itself reminds us of our skills and ingenuity and offers hope for engineering as well as nature-based solutions. The offshore wind industry and plans for green hydrogen are just two examples. Crossing from East Yorkshire into Lincolnshire we see restoration in action again. To the East of the Bridge is Water's Edge. Once contaminated by the chemical industry it is now a country park with an eco-friendly visitor centre. We'll head slightly West to Far Ings National Nature Reserve. The pits and reedbeds at Far Ings and along the Humber bank are a legacy of the tile and cement industry which flourished between 1850 and 1959. Thanks to pioneering management by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, the reserve is now rich in wildlife and one of the UK strongholds for bittern. We'll drop into their visitor centre for some welcome refreshments and meet up with Slow Circular Earth. They work to inspire and empower individuals to create their own sustainable communities, built to flourish with purpose and in harmony with nature, by merging the best of the past with green innovation.

There's an opportunity to join them for a short talk and wellbeing walk. We'll then return back by the same route.

Details: Meet 10am Queen Victoria Square, Hull, HU1 3DX Alternatively you can join us at Hessle Railway station where we'll met the 10:57 arrival from Hull and the 11:02 arrival from Brough/Goole/Doncaster.

Visit Northern Trains - Go Do Your Thing for timetables, tickets and cycle policy. Alternatively, if you can fit your cycle in your car, you can meet us just after at the Humber Bridge carpark.HU13 0HB. Please let us know if you plan to join us on route so we can make sure we don't miss you.

Don't fancy the cycle ride? You can join us at Far Ings directly. There's cycle stands and a car park. The train from Cleethorpes and Grimsby arrives Barton-Upon-Humber at 11:46. See eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk111 Bus service 350 runs every half hour to Barton-Upon-Humber from Hull or Scunthorpe and service 250 runs hourly from Hull or Grimsby. See https://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables.

Toilets: There are toilets at Queen Victoria Square (stepped access), Princes Quay, Humber Bridge car park and Far Ings visitors centre.

Accessibility: The route is accessible but there's a steepish ramp onto and off Humber Bridge. We welcome all types of cycle and all ages and abilities. Under 18s must be with an adult.

Weather: The Autumn weather can be very changeable around the Humber. You don't need any special equipment but do dress appropriately and avoid loose clothing. Suitable footwear is recommended around Far Ings as it can get a little muddy. In the event of severe weather we may have to cancel or curtail the ride especially if the Humber Bridge is subject to high winds.

Safety and mechanics: This is a gentle non-competitive ride but you should consider wearing a helmet and a bright piece of clothing in accordance with the highway code. To get the best out of the day and for everyone's safety please ensure your cycle is in working order. It's always worth bringing a pump and spare inner tube. If you're not sure, have an expert check your cycle over prior to the event. We'll try to help with any problems on the day but we're not mechanics. We plan to be back in Hull before dark but it's worth carrying lights in case of unexpected delay. Please do an ABCD (air, brakes, chain, direction) check before setting off. See Guide to simple cycle safety and service checks | Cycling UK

Thanks to Active Humber for their support.