Rob Ferrol Photography: Spurn Point Location Guide

Pre Dawn at Spurn Point
(c) Rob Ferrol

Spurn Point is a unique narrow spit of land jutting out into the North Sea creating a natural breakwater forming the Northern edge of the Humber estuary. An aerial view shows just how unique this land mass is, it stretches for just over three miles but is as narrow as 46 meters in places.

The Spurn is reached by heading east from Hull along the A1033 towards Withernsea. At Partington take the B1445 towards Easington village. Vehicles are allowed to drive down the Spurn Point road but there is a £3 charge during daylight hours.

The site is currently owned by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and is designated a Natural Nature Reserve, Heritage Coast owing to its rich and diverse eco system. The area attracts many wading birds to its mud flats and is a stop off point for many migratory birds too. On my last visit I was even privileged to see two deer running past – I didn’t even know there were any on Spurn!

The Spurn is made up of sand and shingle and is formed from material washed down the coast and settling in the sheltered waters of the Humber estuary. This cycle is continually happening and it is estimated that the spun is moving westwards at a rate of 2 meters per year. On the seaward side of the Spurn there are many rows of groynes in various stated of decay that was placed there in Victorian times in the hope of reducing the erosion. This in theory worked well but the land north of the Spurn was unprotected and has eroded some 100+ meters since the defences were put in place leaving the Spurn more exposed.

Photographically the Spurn Point is a wonderful place offering easy access, close car parking and at the risk of annoying some, you can even get some shots from the car park, lol. The dunes can be a little steep in places but nothing too taxing. It has two old lighthouses, one on the Spurn and the other on the landward side just off the shoreline. The dunes and old groynes make great foreground interest and an endless supply of compositional opportunities, the groynes can make some quite attractive abstract images too. For me, the best time to visit is at sunrise with a falling tide, the shallow sloping sand shelf can help create some interesting patterns with the water and the receding high tide will have erased most footprints from the previous day’s visitors. It is worth pointing out that the Humber estuary is a busy shipping lane, some large ship pass quite close to shore, and there is often quite a lot of flotsam/jetsam on the shoreline. I have never as yet visited at sunset but I can see it has great potential for this time of day also, especially on the landward side.

I have found accurate weather forecasts for the Spurn difficult to find. Most forecasts are for the major towns nearby but on the exposed Spurn things can be very different. And change at a moments notice, so plan for this in advance.

For tidal information I use the following link for tide times at the port of Immingham. http://www.pol.ac.uk/ntslf/tides/?port=0026 Its worth noting that at high tide in stormy conditions the sea can breach the Spurn in places so do take care and plan ahead.

Whatever your ability Spurn has something to offer and you’ll not be disappointed. Finally a fellow photographer, Doug Chinnery, is holding a photography workshop at this very location, so why not pay this place a visit and get some expert tuition at the same time.