Hull and Beverley for Easter, part 1

People laughed when I said I was going to Hull for Easter, in fact they were rather sniffy about the place. But I like it, it's a bit like Liverpool used to be, and when it's City of Culture in 2017 I hope it will get the appreciation it deserves. In fact, my excuse for travelling there was the Clarion Cycling Club AGM in nearby Beverley, being held in Yorkshire twice in a row.

Larkin about at Hull station

I travelled up the day before to avoid the Good Friday madness and stayed with my old college chum Rick, who recently relocated southerly from the leafy Avenues to the still leafy Dukeries area, backing on to a very leafy cemetery. That night we ate seafood in a swanky restaurant, Bait, on up-and-coming Princes Avenue.

Scale Lane Bridge, over the River Hull

Next morning, after a walk round the Old Town to see the new Scale Lane bridge, a giant apostrophe or comma that swivels around, we negotiated the walkways around the tidal barrier and the Deep, to pop into the bohemian Thieving Harry's for soup and coffee. It's a pop-up in an old fruit market building, and the boarded-up shop from which Rick's dad used to import Mediterranean produce was just around the corner nestling between an art gallery and the Museum of Club Culture.

Thieving Harry's cafe

Then it was a lift to Beverley, via Westwood - an area of grass and undulating woodland - to let Lisa's dog Ronnie run around and do tricks with two frisbees. They dropped me off at the Beverley Arms Hotel, where I met up with the Brighton Clarionettes Ian, Sue and Bob. We sloped off after the Mayor's reception to eat at Figaro's a big italian near a car park, via the White Horse Inn aka Nellie's (more on this wonderful establishment later), for a pizza so big I couldn't finish it!

The White Horse, aka Nellie's