East Yorkshire Woodlands

There are many wonderful places to walk within East Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Wolds spring to mind, however sometimes I feel that our woodlands do not get the attention that they really deserve. I therefore hope that the following blog post will bring the woodlands we are lucky to have in this county into the limelight a little and hope that you will have time to visit them.

By just looking at the Woodlands Trust web site, on their extremely useful interactive map and searching on my postcode, I've found a large number of woodlands (within a 15 mile radius) of which 10 I never knew existed, for example I have walked the South Cave area extensively over a number of years, however have never realised 'Etherthorpe Quarry Wood', managed by the East Riding Council, was 
on my door step.

A number of these woods usually have public footpath flowing through them and therefore well known, however there are hidden gems which are privately owned and are open to the public to walk through, enjoy and be explored (I'm also sure there are many more remaining in the hands of landowners who are unwilling to open them up). 

This blog post mainly concentrates on the woods located in East Yorkshire, however I am sure there are hundreds (maybe thousands) across Great Britain which remain un-noticed and are ready to be revealed.

The following woods are located in the South Cave, Brantingham, Hotham area and are walked frequently, my aim is to update this blog regularly to add more of the unknown ones and to highlight woods further afield in East Yorkshire (as and         when I visit them), hopefully taking pictures at different times of the year. I have also detailed  walks from this blog that take in these woods.

I would love to hear from anyone with details of a wood near them, so that I can add them to this blog (these do not have to be in East Yorkshire) and maybe if a couple of pictures and a brief description/location could be supplied it will provide a visual record as well. It would be good to get as many unknown woods on here as possible.

I've started by detailing a number of woods: 

Little Wold Plantation

Little Wold Plantation from 

This wood, nicknamed by local children as 'Frog Wood', is located just North East of the main centre of South Cave and is only a short walk from the town hall (no further than two miles) - and is managed by The Woodland Trust.

Little Wold Plantation is on the Yorkshire Wolds Way and therefore very popular with walkers and visitors who, from the top of the dale, are rewarded with fantastic views over the river Humber and on to North Lincolnshire.

Anyone interested in Geocaching can find one of The walking Cave Man's Geocaches located in this wood (cache name is Wilma Flintstone) - Details of all The Walking Cave Man's caches can be found on the Activities Blog.

View over South Cave and in the distance the River Humber

The Walking Cave Man walks that take in this wood:
A1. North Cave to North Newbald
High Hunsley any time walk
Rudolph Romp (LDWA event) 

Grid ref for wood main entrance: SE928 320

Low Hunsley Plantation

Comber Dale leading to Low Hunsley Plantation

Low Hunsley Plantation can be accessed from four different locations, one of which being from Little Wold Plantation detailed above, and therefore making this a great circular walk (see walks list). The other access points are from Drewton Dale and High Hunsley.

This wood again is on the Yorkshire Wold Way, however is less busy than Little Wold Plantation, however offers a walk through a heavy wooded area passing the old dismantled Hull to Barnsley railway.

* Low Hunsley Plantation

Again if anyone is interested in Geocaching The Walking Cave Man's caches can be found in this wood (cache names are Fred Flintstone, Betty Rubble and Barney Rubble) - See The Walking Cave Man's Activities Blog.

 For further pictures of South Hunsley Plantation 

The Walking Cave Man walks that take in this wood:

A1. North Cave to North Newbald
High Hunsley any time walk
Rudolph Romp (LDWA event) 

Grid ref for wood main entrance: SE948 343 & SE941 346 (Hight Hunsley) SE937 330 (Comber Dale)


South Wold, Scarbrough Plantation & Elloughton Dale

Although included as one these are three separate woods interlinked mainly because they all can be walked as one and are therefore some of the most popular woods in the area. There are a number of recognised walking routes that pass though these three woods including The Yorkshire Wolds Way and The High Hunsley Circuit.  

Although the woods can be accessed from many locations, I personally like to park up in Brantingham and walking through to South Wold Plantation, as detailed in the map above and follow the directions of the arrows to Scarborough Plantation onto Elloughton Dale.

There are a few parking spaces available at the lower end of Elloughton Dale which is another great place to take in the woods.

'Molson' taking a breather where South Wold Plantation meets Scarborough Plantation

The Walking Cave Man does not have any Geocaches in this area, however there are a number located in the woods, therefore please check these out before setting off.

Grid ref for wood main entrance: SE946 298 (from Brantingham) SE950 283 (Elloughton Dale)


Houghton Woods

This wood is accessible from a number of locations i.e South Newbald, Hotham, South/North Cliffe and Sancton with a number of public footpaths leading from each village, however the walk from Hotham is my personal favourite and can be incorporated with walks detailed in this blog

There is currently only one Geocache located in this wood called 'Houghton Hunt' however The Walking Cave Man is looking at placing more in this location, therefore please check 'The Walking Cave Man Activity' blog for updates.

Grid ref for wood main entrance: SE885 365 (south) SE891 383 (north)


North Cliffe Woods

This wood is managed by the Yorkshire Wild Life Trust and is a short walking distance from Houghton Wood detailed above and therefore can be visited by footpaths connecting the two woods via South Cliffe and North Cliffe.

There is an entrance at both the north-east and north-west corners of the wood and parking (in the lay-bys) east of the eastern and western entrances is available. A walking route around the reserve is about one-and-a-half miles and there is also a footpath that crosses the reserve south of the entrances.

Please note that detailed on the YWT website -  "The woodland between the north-eastern section of the footpath and North Cliffe Lodge is strictly private", therefore please respect the footpaths and refrain from disturbing the wildlife, although this does not retract from the enjoyment of the woodland.

There is currently only one Geocache located in this wood called 'North Cliffe Wood' - The Walking Cave Man is looking at placing an additional cache within the wood therefore please check 'The Walking Cave Man Activity' blog for updates.

Grid ref for wood main entrance: SE859 374


Waulby Scrogs

Waulby Scrogs wood (commonly know as Nut Wood by locals) is an extremely popular, used by dog walkers, children and for people 'out for an afternoon stroll' and therefore maybe worth finding a less popular wood if peace and tranquillity is prefered. Road side  parking close to the north east end of the wood is available, which is one reason that the location attracts the crowds therefore best avoided at weekends  

The wood has may footpaths leading to and from it and therefore can be incorporated in a longer walk e.g from Weton and Brantingham.

Although The Walking Cave Man does not have any caches in this area (although see the Activities blog for other caches), there is a multistage cache located in the wood "All's well, that ends well, at Raywell"

Grid ref for wood main entrance: SE991 305