Yorkshire Wolds Way turns 40

From “40 Fab Things” to do, to an art exhibition and a host of special events, 2022 is set to be a year of celebrations for the Yorkshire Wolds Way National Trail.

This year marks a major milestone for the 79-mile trail that stretches from the Humber estuary, along wooded slopes, and tranquil valleys to Filey Brigg on the Yorkshire coast.

To mark the 40th anniversary, Visit East Yorkshire has created a special section of its website for the National Trail’s landmark year with details of events and activities as well as showcasing some of the most scenic routes.

New for 2022 is a planned guide to “40 Fab Things” to do on the trail – with walkers and visitors being asked to pick out their Yorkshire Wolds favourites to help celebrate the Trail turning 40.

While the guide will, of course, feature great walks, it is also aims to highlight everything from favourite tearooms and best places to visit on, or near, the trail – to some of the great experiences on offer.

Among suggestions so far are seeing majestic Red Kites over Londesborough, a landscaped park of pasture woodland and a lake on the south-west edge of the Yorkshire Wolds; and watching the sun rise over the Humber.

The best 40 will appear in the new guide, while the top six photographs submitted will be used for a new celebration Yorkshire Wolds Way postcard pack.

Artists Ian and Stef Mitchell will also be taking inspiration from the landscape to create a major art exhibition celebrating the Yorkshire Wolds and the National Trail, which will be staged at the Bridlington Spa and The Treasure House, in Beverley, later this year.

Featuring Ian’s digital artwork and Steff’s print work from plants, their artwork reflects a passion for the natural, organic and abstract; and their progress as they prepare for the exhibition can be followed on the Visit East Yorkshire website.

And for the Big Day itself, the Trail’s 40th birthday on 2 October 2022, a ‘great celebration’ is being planned, in conjunction with the Ramblers Association, involving walking the full route in seven stages during the day – and, of course, a birthday cake, too.

The National Trail, launched in 1982, winds its way through some of England’s most tranquil and gentle countryside.

For most walkers the start of the Trail will be at the National Trail stone sculpture in the shadow of the mighty Humber Bridge, just three miles from the centre of Hull.

After meandering through the picturesque landscapes, vibrant market towns and ancient villages of the Yorkshire Wolds, the final section of the Way finishes on the dramatic headland of Filey Brigg.

With a few exceptions there are no serious hills to climb on the route, making it a popular ‘not-too-strenuous’ trail for walkers, and while the whole route can be tackled in about six days, there are plenty of routes to enjoy for a few hours or for a day’s walking.

The Yorkshire Wolds was also a favourite subject for iconic British artist, David Hockney.

It provided the backdrop for a series of paintings that span 50 years of Hockney’s fascination with the area; and a self-guided ‘David Hockney Trail’ around East Yorkshire offers the chance to discover some of the sites that feature in his vivid paintings.

Details of events and activities round the 40th anniversary, as well as a downloadable Yorkshire Wolds guide, can be found on the National Trail anniversary website.

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