Humberston Fitties Foreshore, Winter.

The last post was of photo's taken in the summer at the Fitties.  These pics were taken in January this year late in the afternoon with the sun very low in the sky.

A freezing cold day, frosty start and the odd snow flake in the wind.

A lot more birds now on the creek and the sand bars as we get a lot of winter migrants down here.

Still a few people out for a walk, mostly locals well wrapped up against the cold.

This couple were enjoying the last bit of sunshine.  There's a trend now down on the Fitties
were folk decorate some of the benches.

Shipping on the Estuary and Spurn Lighthouse on the north bank.

The sun has gone from the foreground in this pic as the sun drops down behind the dunes
but is still lighting up the distant beach.

A ferry leaves the Humber ports.

The sun is going down quickly now, just a touch of sunlight on the sand bank.

This jetty has steps down to the beach, the ferry is making good progress.


Panasonic TZ100 compact camera.

Humberston Fitties Foreshore, Summer.

 Some photo's taken back in the summer of 2023.  We had a walk along the Fitties at my favourite time, when the tide's out.  I like the patterns left on the sand, the winding creek and sand bars.

I've had another walk along here in January and will post the pics from that walk soon.

People paddling in the creek, the tide comes in here very quickly when it turns so people out
on the sandbank have to be aware.  The Beach Patrol goes along at the turn of the tide to warn
folk and occasionally have to take people off on their 4 wheel buggy.
 

A WW1 fort out in the Humber Estuary, there are two.  This is Haille Sand Fort.

An access jetty to get down onto the beach.

A popular thing were people leave locked padlocks with messages.

A view back toward Cleethorpes.

There's always plenty of room at the Fitties to find your own bit of beach.

Looking across the Humber Estuary to the North Bank to see  the lighthouse on Spurn point 
with the Wind turbines beyond in the North Sea.  My telephoto lens has foreshortened the distance,
at this point the Estuary is approx. six miles across.

The Humber Estuary is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the UK.

Breakwaters along the beach.

A wind surfer getting his kit ready for when the tide turns.

I liked the winding creek here with people paddling.

This area is adjacent to the Humber Mouth Yacht Club and people get out of the wind in 
the shelter of the large sandhills here.  Beyond is the RSPB Tetney Marsh bird reserve.

No explanation needed here.

In the dunes were quite a lot of old English Roses.

One of the Rose flowers.

The dunes are protected by Larch fencing to retain the sand until the Marram Grass roots.

There's a wide path along the top of the dunes. 

This illustrates how the Larch Fencing retains the sand dunes.  Winds blows sand into the
enclosed area and a dune develops, Marram Grass soon grows to bind it together.

Always a popular place for seabirds and bird watchers, here's a Little Egret.

My favourite pic of the day from here.

Nikon Z50 + 50-250mm Lens.

Waltham Windmill.

 "Waltham Windmill is a six-sailed windmill located in the village of Waltham, five miles from Grimsby in North East Lincolnshire, England. It is renowned in the area for having all six sails still in full working capacity, being one of the very few windmills like this in the United Kingdom."

Above information courtesy of Wikipedia.

Popcorn & I visited the windmill a while back in October 2023 on a lovely sunny Autumn day.

The mill rarely faces this way as the prevailing wind is usually from the opposite direction,
so I had to stop and get some photo's.  We then had a walk around.

In the grounds is a model railway track run by the Grimsby Model Engineering Club.

When having "operating days" they give rides to members of the public around their
extensive track.

Yes, this "bicycle" has been adopted to provide a green source of traction to pull a set
of coaches.

A general view of the station and platform area.

Another view of the mill.

This cyclist had stopped for two ice creams at the refreshment shop. 

Last shot of the mill.

Nikon Z50 + 16 - 50mm Lens.

Hubbard's Hills, Louth.

 Hubbard's Hills is a local beauty spot in a valley on the edge of Louth.  I first went there as a young boy on a Sunday School outing and I've been going back there regularly many times over the years with my family.

"Hubbard's Hills was donated to the town of Louth by the trustees of Auguste Alphonse Pahud, and opened to the public on 1 August 1907.^[3] Auguste Pahud, who was Swiss, moved to Louth in 1875 to take up duties as a German and French teacher at King Edward VI Grammar School." 

Above information courtesy of Wikipedia.

Popcorn & I visited on 17th January this year, the River Ludd flows through here and during the recent heavy rain parts of the valley were flooded and impassable.  We only went a short way into the valley as it was still very muddy.  

The low sunlight lit the valley up.

A dog walker, this part was quite boggy, frozen solid in parts but muddy were the sun had been.  

This small building is dedicated to the benefactor mentioned above, who gave Hubbard's Hills
to the people of Louth.  Unfortunately, like many things, the vandals have "decorated" it.

The River Ludd as it flows through the valley towards the town of Louth.  It had burst
it's bank in many places during the rain & storms.

More dog walkers enjoying a very cold frosty day by the river.

This was as far as we walked, beyond here required wellies. 
We'll be back later in the Spring or early summer for a longer walk.

Nikon Z50 + 18 - 140mm lens.