Withernwick

Withernwick itself has no hotels, so anyone wanting to stay overnight in this part of Holderness will need to look to the surrounding towns and villages. Hornsea, around five miles to the north, is the obvious choice, with a handful of guest houses, bed and breakfasts and small hotels close to its seafront and Mere, alongside a good selection of self-catering cottages. Hull, roughly ten miles south-west, offers a much larger choice of hotels, from budget chains near the city centre and Humber Bridge to options closer to the Old Town and marina, useful if you also want to explore the city’s museums, aquarium and nightlife.

Beverley, a little further inland, is another good base, with characterful inns and hotels around its historic Minster and market places. Wherever you choose to stay, Withernwick’s position on the flat, open Holderness plain means everywhere within the area is an easy, if unspectacular, drive along quiet country lanes, making it perfectly feasible to base yourself in one of these larger towns and still visit the village and its surrounding countryside on a day out.

Withernwick itself is a small, sleepy village, but it makes a handy base for exploring the wider Holderness area and the East Yorkshire coast.

• Hornsea – a traditional seaside town around five miles away, with a sandy beach, promenade, Hornsea Mere (Yorkshire’s largest freshwater lake, popular for birdwatching and sailing) and the Hornsea Museum.
• Hornsea Freeport – an outlet shopping village on the edge of Hornsea, useful for a rainy-day trip.
• The Holderness coast – a dramatic stretch of eroding cliffs and beaches running down to Withernsea and beyond, popular with walkers and anglers.
• Beverley – the East Riding’s historic county town, around 12 miles away, with its Gothic Minster, racecourse and market squares.
• Sledmere House and the Yorkshire Wolds – further inland, offering rolling chalk hills, walking routes and a grand stately home, for those willing to drive a little further.

Withernwick village itself has no shops or pubs of its own these days, reflecting its small size, so most food and drink options are found in nearby Hornsea, which has a range of cafes, fish and chip shops and pubs along its seafront and high street. Beverley and Hull offer a much wider choice of restaurants for those willing to travel a little further.

There are no campsites within Withernwick village itself, but the surrounding Holderness countryside and nearby coast around Hornsea offer a handful of options for those wanting to camp or glamp in the area. As with anywhere else in England, wild camping is illegal without the landowner’s permission, so stick to licensed sites, certified caravan and camping club locations, or farm campsites that welcome tents.

The flat, open Holderness plain around Withernwick makes for easy, gentle cycling and walking between sites, though it also means pitches can be exposed to the wind coming off the North Sea, so a sturdy tent and good pegs are worth having, especially in autumn and winter. Hornsea, just a few miles north, has static caravan parks and touring sites within reach of its beach and Mere, some of which also take tents, while smaller farm-based campsites are scattered across the surrounding villages, often with simple facilities and a peaceful, rural feel.

Glamping options in this part of East Yorkshire tend towards shepherd’s huts, pods and safari tents on working farms, giving a comfortable way to enjoy the big Holderness skies without the commitment of a full camping kit. Summer is by far the most popular and reliable season to camp here, with long evenings and the best chance of settled weather, though spring and early autumn can also be pleasant and considerably quieter. Whatever time of year you visit, booking ahead is wise, as many of the smaller local sites have only a handful of pitches.