Alexandra Dock

A circular walk taking in parts of the Holderness Drain, Withernsea Branch Line, and Alexandra Dock.

Walk details and distance

Grade

Easy to moderate

OS Explorer Map No.

293

Distance

• 4.08 kilometres
• 2.54 miles

Start and End Point

Rosmead Street
HU9 2DT

Download PDF version of the walking route

Accessibility Information

This route -

• has no stiles but does include other structures, for example, chicanes, P-barriers, steps, gates, boardwalks, or bridges
• includes steps or steep inclines
• includes one or more busy road crossings or a section of road walking
• lies within remote areas, away from settlements

You are advised to carry a mobile phone and inform someone of your planned route before setting off.

Walk Description

1. Start on the south side of Rosmead Street, at the entrance near St John’s Church, take the footway through the park, passing a playground and exercise/workout zone on your right
2. On reaching the Withernsea Branch Line shared use cycle track and footway, turn left and follow the pathway
3. Just before you reach the bridge which crosses Holderness Drain, turn right. Take the stairs or the ramp to the blue bridge over the railway line to the docks, and walk alongside Holderness Drain
4. On reaching Hedon Road, turn right
5. Use both the Toucan crossings to cross Hedon Road
6. After crossing Hedon Road, turn left and follow the segregated footway and cycle track towards the Alexandra Dock gatehouse
7. At the gatehouse, bear right and take the public footpath and cycle route alongside the estate road. (You could extend your walk to the River Humber, at this point, by turning left and crossing the road, then following the path to the public car park/viewing area)
8. Turn right and take the ramp down to the pedestrian crossings and cross Hedon Road
9. After crossing Hedon Road, turn left and walk along Hedon Road, alongside Hull Prison to Southcoates Lane. (You could extend your walk by taking a left here and visiting the nearby Hedon Road Cemetery)
10. On reaching Southcoates Lane, turn right and continue along the footway
11. Turn left and cross the road leading to Hull Prison visitor carpark, and continue to take the footpath along the side of the bridge
12. After crossing Southcoates Lane Bridge, make a U-turn at the footway and cycle track link, and take the ramp back down to the Withernsea Branch Line shared use cycle track and footway
13. Turn right onto the shared footway and cycle track, and follow the path until arriving at Estcourt Street
14. Turn right and follow Estcourt Street and Rosmead Street to return to your starting point

Features of Interest

When construction of Alexandra Dock was completed in 1885, it was the largest dock on the East Coast.

On the dock, there is a listed structure, a 100 Ton Steam Crane. The steam crane had a lift capacity of 100 tons and was regularly used to manoeuvre heavy goods. Its last lift was performed in 1977 when it was deployed to unload a steam locomotive for the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. ABP has restored the steam crane and can often be seen from the footpath.