Getting the most from your visit

This short piece is intended to help you plan and get the most from your visit to Spurn. If you would like to stay at the observatory please see the relevant section for details.

Where to go Birding

The bird observatory recording area covers everything to the south of the road from the Crown and Anchor eastwards to the beach beyond the Blue Bell. This was extended north in recent years to include the recently purchased Kew garden and the church field. The recording area is traditionally where the majority of birders spend their time. Some of the most popular and productive areas are the triangle and canal area, the warren, the narrow neck (for visible migration and seawatching), Chalk bank and Wire Dump, and the point area. However there are some excellent birding areas to the North of the obs recording area. In particular Beacon Lane and Ponds will be known to many, Sammies point, and some areas in Easington are well worth a look. In fact last year alone one garden in Easington attracted Iberian Chiffchaff, White Thrush and Pine Grosbeak, making this probably the best garden in the whole of the UK in 2004. Whilst birding in the area please respect the privacy of all the residents and park in sensible places. There has been some conflict in the past between birders and local residents something we are working hard to put right, please help us by using a little thought.

Getting about

When birding the area it is possible to park the car up at the start of the day and leave it there until you go home, however when daylight is at a premium or when there are lots of good birds to see that are already staked out at well scattered sites most people will drive. If you are driving around please use the car parks wherever possible and do not block the passing places on the peninsula. Please note at really busy times the Crown and Anchor car park may be reserved to pub customers only. A particularly awkward place for parking can be around Easington cemetery, if a good bird turns up here please park in Easington Square and walk to the cemetery.

Keeping in contact

Whilst in the Spurn area you will find both pager services work reasonably well, but Birdnet ones offer a far more reliable reception. Mobile phones do not have reception as reliable as pagers but Orange and O2 have reasonable coverage and Vodafone seems to have got better in recent months. There is also a public phone box outside the Crown and Anchor. Most Spurn regulars carry short wave radios and will have the most up to date news on what’s showing. Any important news will obviously be put on the news services immediately

Weather

Spurn has a surprisingly dry climate and most weekends from April to September you will get either burnt by the sun or wind. That said it is often cold (due to the wind) in early spring or late autumn. Warm clothing is recommended but waterproofs can usually be left in the car or in a rucksack with a windproof fleece being sufficient. Footwear is a difficult one, walking boots are ideal as you can easily rack up some miles at Spurn, but the vegetation gets quite tall adjacent to the paths and can be very wet, therefore wellingtons although uncomfortable for walking any distance are recommended. In mid summer sturdy trainers will be enough.

Toilets

There are toilets situated in the car park at the Blue bell or at the YWT visitor centre at the Warren. Please note there are no facilities for toilet breaks at the point, and the toilets at the crown are for the use of customers only.

Eating

There are two cafes at Spurn both serving excellent fare. The Blue Bell near Sandy Beaches caravan site sells amazing home made soups and quiches, with a mouth watering variety of home made deserts. It is open most weekends, and all bank holidays from either 10 or 11am until 4 or 5pm. It is occasionally open during the week. The Spurn Bight café is situated at the point near the Lifeboat cottages and sells the highly acclaimed “Spurn Biter” (best served with beans) or excellent full breakfasts with a wide range of other snacks. It is open most weekends throughout the year from 10am until approx 4.30pm. The Crown and Anchor also sells wonderful home made food at lunchtimes and in the evening, the Steak and Ale pie has kept regular birders going for years or for those with a tougher constitution the Beef Madras is superb.