What Makes the Humber – Chapter 9

The chemical works at Saltend is flanked by Old Fleet to the north and Hedon Haven to the south. The last chapter of the journey starts at Burstwick drain and Hedon Haven then continues south to Paull and then south east along the Holderness coast. From Cherry Cob Sands we head to Stoney Creek and finally on to Winestead Outstray, the last major drain that makes the Humber. Growing up in South Holderness and now driving with Lou through Keyingham Marsh brought back primary school memories: summer holidays walking with my friend Gary from Keyingham to Thorngumbald via the Humber Bank and a plate of his Grandma’s freshley picked peas when we got there; getting up at five in the morning to pick plate mushrooms with his dad on Caley’s farm, and watching huge ships sail through fields.

Photographs by Richard Duffy-Howard

Gallery key:

1. Burstwick Drain and sluice at Hedon Haven
2. Hedon Haven and sluice
3. Hedon Haven and the chemical works, Saltend
4. Cormorant, Hedon Haven
5. Hedon Haven and barge, Saltend
6. Hedon Haven and Saltend jetty
7. Hedon Haven and Saltend jetty
8. Hedon Haven across the Humber to Skitter Ness
9. Paull on the north and North Killingholme on the south banks of the Humber
10. Thorngumbald drain
11. Thorngumbald Clough Low Lighthouse looking north to Hedon Haven and Old Fleet
12. Thorngumbald Clough High Lighthouse
13. Immingham across the fields and Humber from Cherry Cobb Sands
14. Cherry Cob Sands drain meets Keyingham and Ottringham drains at Stoney Creek with the Dock Tower at Grimsby on the horizon overlooking the mouth of the River Freshney and Royal Dock
15. Keyingham drain and sluice, Stoney Creek
16. Keyingham drain with Ottringham drain joining left make the Humber at Stoney Creek
17. Winestead Outstray teems with fish