Trail Guide
Trail Guide

All the information you need to explore Larkin’s Here and Elsewhere - discover a poet’s landscape in Hull and East Yorkshire.

Downloads:
The Larkin Trail Leaflet Guide a handbag or pocket friendly guide, which includes maps and information to help you navigate the trail. This is also available as a hard copy leaflet from Tourist Information Centres in Hull and East Yorkshire.
Click here to download PDF

The Larkin Trail - A Detailed Guide is a longer guide that contains more detailed information about the locations on the Trail, about Philip Larkin’s life and work, and the landscape and heritage of Hull and East Yorkshire. This is available as a download only.
Click here to download PDF
 
© Larkin25 2025
How to approach the Trail

The City Centre section of the Trail is designed to be enjoyed on foot and takes around 2½ hrs to walk. Taking into account the many enticing locations, including several museums and galleries as well as Hull History Centre, you might like to plan for a full day. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants along the way for rest and refreshment, including two of Larkin’s favourite pubs in the Old Town.

Beyond the city centre, the Trail begins at Hull Royal Infirmary on Anlaby Road. This is 10-15 mins walk from Paragon Interchange. Alternatively, you can take one of the frequent buses that pass the hospital door, or make your way there by car or bicycle (Hull has some excellent cycle lanes – and no hills!). Once at HRI, the section leading from there to the University (location no.18) takes around 2½-3 hrs to walk. Again, if you have time, you might like to allow longer, to enjoy Pearson Park, the leafy boulevards of The Avenues and Larkin’s place of work. There is then a 2½ mile gap from the University to Cottingham, the last location on this section of the Trail. Buses run regularly from the stop opposite the University on Cottingham Road and take you right into the village centre.

Elsewhere, car, bicycle or public transport are essential, as this third section of the Trail spans a considerably wide area. You may choose to visit just two or three of the locations individually, or you may prefer to travel West to East (or vice versa), as time allows. The locations in this section are wide-ranging, from the remoteness of Blacktoft and Spurn (served by very infrequent public transport) to the liveliness of the market town of Beverley, which can be reached by regular trains from Cottingham or Hull Paragon Interchange in a matter of minutes.

Whether you visit all 25 locations or only have time for one section, the Larkin Trail will lead you to plenty of places of interest. To plan ahead and extend your stay in Hull & East Riding, visit www.visithullandeastyorkshire.com or call in at one of the Tourist Information Centres (Humber Bridge Country Park or Hull City Hall), where you can pick up a wealth of useful free leaflets to guide you.
 
  Signage

Each location on the Trail is easily identified by its unique, bespoke sign. Everything from the typography to the shape and materials has been designed by United Creatives with that particular location in mind, giving an insight into Larkin’s life and the chance to sample his poetry. Each sign also includes the geocode for the next location.
 
Planning Your Visit

To help you to plan your visit to Larkin’s Hull and East Yorkshire, and find great places to eat and stay during your trip, visit the official tourism site:

www.visithullandeastyorkshire.com

There are three Tourist Information Centres on the Larkin Trail route:

Hull Tourist Information Centre – 01482 223559

Beverley Tourist Information Centre – 01482 391672

Humber Bridge Tourist Information Centre – 01482 640852

The sites in the Larkin’s Elsewhere section of the Larkin Trail provide perfect starting points for walks and cycle rides in the East Yorkshire landscape. The Visit Hull and East Yorkshire site has lots of information for walkers, and cyclists, and this walking website contains many helpful route plans for the area:

http://walkingtheriding.eastriding.gov.uk

Getting here and around

By Rail


First Hull Trains Offer a direct service between Hull, The Humber region and London 08450 710 222 www.hulltrains.co.uk

Northern Rail Provide rail services across the region www.northernrail.org

By Bus

East Yorkshire Motor Services Operate bus and coach services across Hull and East Yorkshire
Bus times 01482 22 22 22 buscall@eyms.co.uk www.eyms.co.uk

Coach and bus hire 01482 222444

Bus Travel Centre,
Hull Paragon Interchange,
Ferensway,
Hull,
HU1 3QX.
Tel: 01482 325679

National Express has regular services arriving in Hull from around the UK www.nationalexpress.com

By Road

Visit Hull and East Yorkshire have lots of information for cyclists and car drivers about the best routes around the area

www.visithullandeastyorkshire.com