Spurn Point 2024 Visitor Guide to the National Nature Reserve

Spurn National Nature Reserve, aka simply Spurn Point, offers an amazing day out in East Yorkshire, suitable for all the family. Top attractions include the Spurn lighthouse, military fortifications, RNLI history and wildlife.
Walking distance from the entrance gate to the end of Spurn and back is 7 miles.
The Spurn Safari Unimog provides an alternative to hiking the route. These tours that begin near the entrance gate, taking passengers all the way to the Point.
It’s important to check the tide times at Spurn Point when planning a visit as a few times a year the wash over turns the peninsula into a tidal island.

Useful links:
Spurn ‘Wash Over’ Tide Times: https://www.ywt.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-02/Spurn%20tide%20times%202024.pdf

Spurn Visitor Information (Yorkshire Wildlife Trust): https://www.ywt.org.uk/nature-reserves/spurn-national-nature-reserve

Bus Links, Hull to Spurn – service expected to begin from April 2024. Timetable links will be posted here when available.

The Making of ‘Spurn Point Visitor Guide to the National Nature Reserve’
This video was filmed over four visits to Spurn Point in 2023 with the support and permission of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Stock wildlife clips are used in this film under license.
A total of 4 cameras were used to capture the shots, including a GoPro action camera and a drone. Links to some of the equipment used in the making of this film:
Main Camera: https://amzn.to/3TkabkZ
Drone: https://amzn.to/42ZpWRk
Action camera: https://amzn.to/4bWf6Ql

Disclaimer:
Spurn Point Visitor Guide to the National Nature Reserve
The mention or appearance of companies, organisations, services or facilities, within this video, does not constitute an endorsement of the video by them.
The video content, gathered in 2023 & 2024, is intended for the purpose of information & research guidance only. It is not intended to be a substitute for up-to-date, official visitor advice and guidance when visiting Spurn National Nature Reserve.

For a wonderful outdoor adventure in East Yorkshire, suitable for all the family you’ll find it hard to beat a day trip to Spurn Point. Or, to give it its full name, the Spurn National Nature Reserve. And the best thing is… it’s free! In this short film

We’ll show you what makes Spurn Point so special and help you plan a visit to get the most from a day trip to this Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Reserve. Spurn Point is a thin peninsula, three and a half miles long and less than 50 metres wide in places.

It juts out into the estuary of the Humber River. You’ll find it just south of the village of Kilnsea in the East Riding of Yorkshire. This fascinating place is less than an hour’s drive from the city of Hull, which is where you’ll also find the closest train station. From April 2024

A bus service was introduced running from Hull to Spurn on weekends and public holidays. For bus times see links in the description below. This is the address and map coordinates for navigation. Upon arrival, you’ll find the car park on the left side of the road.

On the right is the Spurn Discovery Centre, which is located about 200 metres from the entrance gate to the Nature Reserve itself. All-day parking costs £5, and this fee contributes directly to the maintenance of the Nature Reserve and Discovery Centre. If you’re a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust member, parking is free.

There are two electric vehicle charging points in the car park to use this service make payment at the Discovery Centre Cafe. At the time of making this film parking on the roadside leading to the reserve entrance was free.

However, be careful as the road is narrow and there is limited space to turn around. Inside the Discovery Centre on the top floor you’ll find a cafe, gift shop and educational displays. On the ground level are the toilet facilities and bicycles to hire.

It’s worth noting, the next toilet after this is three and a half miles away at the far end of the Spurn peninsula, just beyond the main lighthouse near the old RNLI Station. Now, a few important things to know when you’re planning your visit to Spurn Nature Reserve.

It is open to the public all year round and is only closed for bad weather. The only ways to access Spurn Point is by foot, on a bicycle or on the Spurn Safari Unimog operated by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. The first one kilometre of the peninsular is sand,

Making it unsuitable for mobility vehicles. I’d say the best advice for people visiting Spurn would be to check before you come. Just to double-check about the tide times because we do get breaches on the wash over. So there’ll be an hour and a half each side of a high tide,

You won’t be able to cross sometimes. But also double-check about bringing your dogs because dogs aren’t actually allowed at the top of Spurn, which seems quite harsh as it’s a beautiful place you’d want to bring your dog. But unfortunately dogs do disturb wildlife,

Especially as it is such an important point for migratory birds. We really want to keep Spurn disturbance-free as possible. But also we do provide some areas where you can walk your dog. So you can get to the Warren Cottage, which is just before you get to the wash over area

And then you can head back along the Kilnsea beach. So we do allow you to walk your dogs in certain areas because we know how much people love walking dogs. There are plenty of reasons to get excited

When considering the things to see and do on a day out at Spurn. From the entrance to Spurn Nature Reserve, the first kilometre of the route is all sand. Walking is easier closer to the edge of the surf when the tide is low as the sand here is more compact.

This stretch of sand is also prone to complete flooding a few times a year. At periods of highest tide, combined with certain weather and sea conditions, it becomes completely unpassable, as mentioned earlier. This event is known as the ‘wash over’ turning the peninsula into a tidal island.

This is an example of a previous high tide event. On this particular occasion, there were calm sea conditions and low wind speeds, which meant a complete wash over event was avoided. These tidal forecasts from 2023 give you an indication of the typical numbers of possible wash over events in a year.

There are basically two main walking routes for you to choose at Spurn. One follows the beach along the North Sea coast side all the way out to the point, and the other is along the concrete road and pathway running along the top of the strip of land.

It’s easily seven miles from the car park to the tip of Spurn and back. Walking time is typically 4 to 5 hours, including stopping for photos, enjoying the views and a short lunch break. Small children or those ‘not-so-fit’ may find walking the whole route challenging. The Spurn Safari Unimog

Is by far the easiest way to reach the end of the point. The Unimog is a Dutch ex-army vehicle operating three-hour tours. Tickets in 2024 cost £25 for adults and £15 for children and include entry to the lighthouse, as well as a guided walk around the end of Spurn Point.

One of the main attractions at Spurn Point is the iconic Victorian era lighthouse. It is the tallest lighthouse in northern England, standing at 39 metres above the ground. It is usually open three days a week from Fridays to Sundays. So the lighthouse at Spurn was built in 1895

And it was decommissioned in 1985. It’s made from Staffordshire blue bricks, really hardy bricks. And there’s 144 steps up to the top. And when you get to the top the light isn’t there, unfortunately but you can actually go right up to the top

And get really, really great views of Spurn Peninsula. In 2015, Spurn was redeveloped, so we gave it a good lick of paint and put in some new features that people can come up and see. So safety wise, there are quite a few steep steps, so 144 steps to the top

And right at the top the last little bit up to the light is like a ladder. So as you go up, you should head down the exact same way as you went up. So like a ladder. Each floor there’s stops. So unlike other lighthouses, you just go straight up to the top.

This one has floors for you to take a break and take views out the windows. And we do have safety alarm bells on every floor to make sure everyone’s really safe. In 2022, the Association of Lighthouse Keepers awarded Spurn the Lighthouse of the Year Award.

Access to the ground floor is free, but to climb the stairs to see the exhibition floors or to go to the top, you’ll need to purchase a ticket which can be done at the lighthouse. Ticket prices are £4 for adults, £3 for OAPs and £2 for children.

A family ticket for two adults and three children is £10. Be aware, children must be at least 110cm tall to climb stairs. There is a second lighthouse nearby on Humber bank. This is called the low light. Standing at a height of 27 metres,

It was established in 1852 and operated for 43 years. It has since been used to store explosives and later its lantern was converted to a water tower. Just past the lighthouses, you’ll find a small village of abandoned buildings. For more than 200 years right up until 2023

Lifeboat crew members of the Humber RNLI were stationed here. Over that time, the crews rescued more than a thousand people. Unfortunately, the aging jetty at the point became unsafe, forcing the service to relocate to Grimsby across the estuary. Records show Spurn Point has been home to many lost communities

Dating back to at least the 13th century. However, today the only full-time residents at Spurn Point are once again the wildlife. The end of Spurn Point widens out like the head of a large wooden spoon. This area is laced with trails and footpaths to explore. There are war bunkers, gun emplacements,

Underground tunnels, a parade ground and even an old railway track. After hiking all the way from the mainland, one of the most rewarding things to do is sit here with a picnic and watch ships pass by. This route into the Humber is one of the busiest shipping lanes in Europe.

It’s easy to see why Spurn’s location at the Humber estuary has made it a strategic military post over the years. It became a garrison in 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars and through the two world wars to protect the Humber shipping routes. About 100 metres inland from the tip

Are the remains of the World War II searchlight bunkers. Soldiers used the light beams to help aim guns in the event of a night attack from the sea. A rail line was installed in 1915. It ran from Kilnsea to Spurn and transported materials and supplies for the military.

The line was closed in 1951. This building that looks a bit like a ship with a buried hull is actually a former vessel traffic services centre or VTS. It was a shipping equivalent of air traffic control tower. The tower is now automated with 24/7 radar surveillance

Being relayed to the main control centre in Grimsby. These are just a few of the historical points of interest at Spurn. There are loads more scattered the length of the spit making Spurn Point a must-see for history enthusiasts. And of course, these attractions all sit alongside

The amazing variety of species that inhabit the nature reserve. I would say visiting Spurn any time of year you’re going to see something different. In summer you’re going to see our wildflower meadows. You’ll see fledging birds, you’ll see the beach-nesting birds. But we have our migration festival which happens in September,

So you’ll see a lot of visible migration happening. You’ll also see things here from December ‘til March we have pupping season. So towards March really you’ll see baby seals come onto the beach for a little rest. We do stay well away from them,

But it’s a good way to view seals in the UK. If you’re interested in photography, it almost goes without saying that Spurn Point makes for an inspiring day out with a camera. Landscapes and seascapes compete for attention and as the tide moves in and out,

The entire scenery is constantly being transformed before your eyes. Away from the beach, the flora, fauna and landmarks present endless photographic opportunities. Look out for these mobile phone posts along the main pathway called active beacons. This is a citizen science initiative designed to help monitor the landscape.

Visitors are encouraged to take photos and upload to social media using the hashtag on the beacon. It’s a great idea. When it comes to flying a drone at Spurn National Nature Reserve you must obtain permission in advance from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

You can do this by submitting a request via their website. Because the reserve is also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, you’ll also need permission from Natural England. Keep in mind this could take several weeks, so be sure to submit your applications well in advance of a visit.

Finally, a few more interesting little nuggets about Spurn. The landscape here is fragile and unique as it is ever-shifting and changing, and vulnerable to coastal erosion. That’s because it is attached to the bottom end of the Holderness coastline, one of the fastest eroding coasts in the world.

On the Humber River side of Spurn the outgoing tide reveals shiny, wet mudflats. Mudflats are highly productive habitats which support large numbers of birds and fish. They also contribute to coastal defences dissipating wave energy. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is running a replanting programme here to restore lost seagrass meadows.

And another project is underway to encourage native oysters back into the Humber area. Earlier, we talked about the ‘wash over’ event that happens when certain tide and weather conditions align. Well, if you’re ever caught out, there is a high tide shelter to safely wait until the water recedes.

When you walk in the main roadway track, look out for these rather handy numbered markers along the route. They show the distance to go to the entrance of the reserve. The wind farm you can see out in the North Sea is the Humber Gateway Windfarm, belonging to E.ON Energy,

Who helped fund construction of the Spurn Discovery Centre. These wooden sea defences are called groynes and revetments. They were erected in Victorian times to protect the peninsula from erosion and were kept maintained up until the 1950s. The posts are slowly decaying, yet all the while presenting

A stoic resistance to the constant pounding of the sea, wind and sand. This adds a nostalgic feature to the landscape as an ongoing inspiration to photographers and artists alike. I think feedback we get from people is that they just didn’t know Spurn existed, really it’s a hidden gem in East Yorkshire.

So it sticks out into East Yorkshire. You wouldn’t really see it on the map, but there’s so much to discover here. You’ve got the military history, you’ve got the lifeboat history. People used to live on Spurn, but you’ve also got the wildlife. You know, there’s such a variety of things to see,

And we get really positive feedback that they didn’t know it was here and that they’re really excited to visit. For an outdoor adventure and a beautiful connection with nature and history, Spurn Point is certainly well worth a visit.