Driffield to Bridlington Bike Ride

13th March 2022

Stage 20 of the Sustrans Slow Tour of Yorkshire is from Driffield to Bridlington.

It's on quiet country roads where you encounter very few vehicles. In Bridlington itself the roads are a bit busier.

The ride takes you to the seaside, where you can get fish and chips or ice cream. You can either ride back, or let the train take the strain.

Driffield to Bridlington Bike Ride: Map

The map shows the route from Driffield to Bridlington in orange.

This is the ride on Plotaroute; you can download a navigation file from there.

Driffield to Bridlington Bike Ride: Sustrans Leaflet

This is the Sustrans leaflet for the Driffield to Bridlington ride.

Driffield to Bridlington Bike Ride: Route Notes

Driffield to Bridlington

The route starts from Driffield Station. Plan ahead and you could leave your washing at the laundry and pick it up when you get back.

Ride along River Head, and look out for the imposing Bradshaw's Riverhead Mill on the Driffield Canal.

Turn left up the B1249 Wansford Road, then at the traffic lights turn right past Driffield School on Bridlington Road/New Road.

There are two roundabouts at new housing estates, with abysmal efforts at cycle infrastructure. I suggest taking the lane at the roundabouts, rather than using the 75cm painted cycle lanes around the edge.

Once you're out in the countryside, there's a shared path alongside the road. Vehicle speeds are high, and I found it was worth using. If they made it wider and gave it priority over Green Lane, it would be perfect.

Fork right into Nafferton. At the Cross Keys pub, turn right down the High Street.

Turn left on Coppergate, which becomes Nethergate and takes you over the railway on a level crossing. Turn left on Carr Lane, then left on Hords Lane.

There's a rather disconcerting sign at Hords Lane which may give you the impression that the next level crossing is impassable. In fact, pedestrians and cyclists can use the level crossing, so you can ignore the misleading sign.

As long as the green light is showing, you can walk across the level crossing.

After the level crossing, turn right on Water Lane/Mill Lane, then left on Station Road. You reach the village of Harpham and go along Main Street. There's a pub in Harpham with a nice clean whitewash, the St Quintin Arms.

In Harpham, the sign about the next level crossing is clearer - it explicitly says it's open to those on foot or on bikes.

Because it's a no through route for vehicles, the road out of Harpham is quiet. The road surface is a bit muddy, but not too bad.

I saw a buzzard and a couple of kestrels along here.

After the level crossing you reach a T-junction where you turn left. There's yet another level crossing, then you come to Burton Agnes.

Turn left on the A614 for a short distance; the pavement is shared use here. Turn right up Rudston Road, and pass the entrance to Burton Agnes Hall - a stately home built by Sir Henry Griffrith in 1610.

Next there's a T-junction at Woldgate; turn right. At its highest point, Rudston Beacon, Woldgate reaches 92m above sea level.

This was the Roman road from Bridlington via Stamford Bridge to York. Now there are no Romans and it's single track and quiet. There's a 40mph speed limit, which is a great idea. It's even being resurfaced in Spring 2022.

David Hockney's 6-canvas painting of Woldgate Woods sold for over £9 million. The trees depicted are actually part of Sands Wood, and Hockney painted them from the track that links Woldgate to Boynton. He also did a number of other paintings around Woldgate.

Woldgate eventually meets the A165 Bessingby Hill. Turn left on a shared path alongside this busy road.

Turn right off the A165 onto a residential street, Easton Road. Easton Road becomes Westgate, then the High Street through the Old Town.

There's a bike shop at 35 High Street - Priory Cycleworks.

At traffic lights, cross St John Street. On your right you pass a historic-looking stone gateway.

Next on your right is the Priory Church.

When the Augustinian Priory was dissolved in 1538, all the buildings were destroyed except the nave of the church, which was used as a parish church. The church was restored from 1846.

Next on the right is Bridlington Cemetery, which is striking to the eye.

Continue straight on, on what is now Sewerby Road. Go straight on at the roundabout junction with Fortyfoot, and turn right on Limekiln Lane. You reach the seaside at North Marine Drive.

There's a fish and chip shop by the beach here, and WCs further south along the Promenade towards the harbour.

You're allowed to cycle on the Promenade, and you definitely should: it's a highlight of this ride.

Return Route

The return route is the same except for a short deviation to avoid High Street Bridlington where it's one way. The GPS file also includes a slightly different return route (via Market Place) in Driffield.

After going over about 500 level crossings on this ride, it won't surprise you to learn that there's a direct train link between Bridlington and Driffield. When I looked, trains were about every half hour, and the journey time was 15 minutes.

Driffield to Bridlington Ride: Comments and Suggestions

This is an enjoyable ride on quiet roads. My suggestions for improvements follow.

1) Improve the abysmal 'cycle infrastructure' at the two roundabouts east of Driffield School, on Bridlington Road.

2) Widen the path by New Road and give it priority at the junction with Green Lane.

3) Change the warning signs for the Hords Lane/Outgate level crossing, to make it clear it's open to those on foot and on bikes.

Have you done this bike ride? What did you think of it?