Festive light shows at Flamborough Old Lighthouse to brighten up the winter sky…

 

The shows will be taking place from 7 pm until 9.30pm in 20-minute intervals, on the 2^nd-3^rd and 9^th-10^th of December, with spectators from up to 25 miles expected to be able to see the lasers on a clear night.

To get the best views, the following locations have also been recommended as the best viewing spots:

 

· Flamborough Head car park

· Filey Country Car Park

· Scarborough Seafront for the Lighthouse and Castle

· Ravenscar

· Whitby Harbour

· Withernsea Valley Gardens

For those unable to make it on the evening, a video will be available post the event; everyone is invited to listen whilst watching live and enjoy the special soundtrack for a fully immersive experience by tuning in live via the ‘Love Yorkshire Coast’ YouTube channel here.

The four-night spectacle, funded by the Yorkshire Coast BID, will see multiple laser beam shows performed in a sequence at some of the most recognisable landmarks and lighthouses.

Tony Gill, Managing Director of Polestar Productions, said, “As a Yorkshire-based production company, we are very excited to create this unique event for the Yorkshire Coast BID, highlighting our iconic landmarks and celebrating Christmas. We believe it represents a first in creating a string of laser beacons stretching from Spurn to Whitby.”

Kerry Carruthers, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Coast BID, said: “We wanted to do an event that brought our incredible Yorkshire coast together and allowed everyone to celebrate the lead-up to Christmas.

“There are a number of incredible historical landmarks across the coast, and we wanted to showcase them by doing something a little different this year, which would support driving visitors to come and see our incredible coast in a new light.”

To find out more about the Yorkshire Coast BID, please visit www.yorkshirecoastbid.co.uk/.

Sewerby Scenic Drive

1) This round starts just north of Bridlington at Sewerby Hall, an 18th century mansion overlooking Bridlington Bay. Turning right out of Sewerby Hall car park, the round takes you north towards Flamborough passing Dane`s Dyke, a massive Iron Age defensive earthwork.

2) As you enter the fishing village of Flamborough, you will see on the right the parish church, which contains two interesting monuments. One to St Oswald, Patron Saint of Fishermen. The other, showing a man with his heart bared, recalls the death of Sir Marmaduke Constable, who is reputed to have met his end in 1520 when a toad he had swallowed ate his heart! Close to Flamborough are two sites worthy of a detour. Turning off to North Landing will take you to a picturesque cove, in which fishermen`s boats huddle for shelter beneath the immense chalk cliffs. You may also want to pay a visit to the Flamborough Lighthouse and the nearby limestone lantern tower which survives from the 17th century. Turning left at the mini roundabout, you now follow the signs towards Bempton, taking a right turn into the B1229.

3) At Bempton, bird lovers will want to visit the RSPB bird reserve which is a mile out of the village. In Bempton, take a sharp left turn passing the village duckpond on your right and crossing the Bridlington to Scarborough railway line. After about half a mile, take a right turn and when you come to a T-junction turn left back towards the centre of Bridlington. You will clearly see the tower of the Priory Church, which is in the Old Town area, and has a nave dating back to the 12th century.

4) Turning right along Marton Road as far as the double mini roundabouts, you follow the A165 towards Scarborough, turning left after a mile towards Grindale and Burton Fleming. This road offers you fine views over the undulating Wolds farmland.

5) Passing through the small villages of Grindale, and Burton Fleming, you arrive at Wold Newton. Nearby is the source of the Gypsey Race, a stream which reaches the sea at Bridlington Harbour. Local superstition says that the stream reaches full spate prior to a natural disaster. This has earned it the nickname `Woe Waters`.

6) Three miles after leaving Wold Newton, take a left turn on to the B1249. You are now at the halfway stage of your journey. Langtoft`s position in a deep valley surrounded by chalk hill has made it susceptible to freak floods in the past. Major floods inundated the village in 1657 and 1892, when a wall of water 7.5 feet high gushed through the streets.

7) Once through the centre of Langtoft take the Kilham Road on the left which leads you along the floor of a typical Wolds Valley.

8) Kilham is a sprawling village; in the centre, turn left out of West End, then turn right next to the Bay Horse Inn. Once past All Saints Church and the Old Star Inn, you leave the village. Taking East Street out of Kilham, follow the road round to the right, signposted to Bridlington.

9) When you reach the junction with the A166 Driffield to Bridlington Road, the round takes you left.

You may wish to stop at the Bracey Bridge picnic site 200 yards to the right along the A166. The route takes a left turn opposite the Blue Bell Inn, (or carry straight on and visit the magnificent Burton Agnes Hall).

10) You are now on the road to Rudston. The whole area around Rudston was important in Neolithic times and was considered sacred long before christianity arrived. Chief evidence of this is the Rudston Monolith in Rudston churchyard.

11) Leaving Rudston on the B1253, head east towards Boynton. On the south side of the village and off to your right nestles the church of St Andrew with it`s unique lecturn suppported by a carved wooden turkey: the fowl was introduced to this country by William Strickland, whose family still owns Boynton Hall, on his return from America in the 16th Century.

12) At the junction of the B1253 and A166, you can turn left towards Bridlington Old Town or carry on in to the town centre for a plate of local fish and chips.

Rudston Monolith at around 25 ft high is the tallest standing stone in Britain.Rudston derives its name from 'rood stone': a cross or rood was placed on the monolith to christianise it. The churchyard is also the final resting place of the author Winifred Holtby.

Bridlington's Old Town is worth exploring for its many old inns, antique shops, Bayle Museum and Priory Church.
 

Flamborough Cliffs Nature Reserve: Best time to visit - March to July

Flamborough Head has one of the most important seabird colonies in Europe. In summer the cliffs are packed with tens of thousands of breeding auks, gannets, gulls and puffins, creating a memorable experience. The chalk grassland, especially in Holmes Gut, is rich in flowers attracting butterflies and a number of uncommon moths

Flamborough Cliffs,
North Marine Road

Bridlington

East Riding of Yorkshire

YO15 1BJ

OS Map Reference

North Landing car park - TA238719
Thornwick Bay car park - TA234719

When to visit

Opening times Open at all times

Best time to visit - March to July

About the reserve

Stunning sea views and excellent views of nesting puffins can be seen from the cliff tops from mid May to mid July. Look out too for fulmar, kittiwake, guillemots and razorbills. It's a great place for bird and sea-watching during spring and autumn migrations.