Hull City of Culture 2017

I have only been to Hull once - some years ago now. DH and I went to The Deep just after it had opened, and then decided to have a walk around the town centre and visit the Maritime Museum. The Deep apart (superb), we had a very enjoyable day and have always said we would go back and have a better look. Perhaps now is the time, VQ!

I have heard that Hull has embraced the City of Culture and they have put on interesting and exciting events. VQ you are right to be proud of your city. I lived in Hull and did my nurse training there many years ago and would love to see the changes there. Hopefully I can visit later in the year.

There are loads of things to see and do in Hull. Start with the land train which is hilarious and you have to be prepared to join in with songs etc as you see the sights. Ferens Art Gallery is superb.

Have the activities etc already started? Husband lived there from age 7 to age 50, and younger daughter is still there. I lived and worked there from '68 to '90, so know the town well.
Ex still lives there.
I've seen a few TV programmes about the preparations, and it looks exciting. As I remember it, a rather sleepy town, but some pretty areas, very green, cut off geographically from the rest of the country.
Might go up when I'm over next month.

It is my home city, but I only seem to get there for funerals these days! But have heard from lots of others who have visited and found it amazing. They were especially impressed by the local volunteers who are there to help and advise about what to see. Ferens Art Gallery was a favourite and of course Trinity House (which is open on Mondays I think). I live in Newcastle now and researching history have found so many links between the two cities- Trinity House, Civil war (on opposite sides) docks and the end of local industries (fishing and coal). My. mum still has loads of stories about the war when she was a bus conductress and Hull was one of the most bombed cities. She was telling me about picking up a bus load of people with minor injuries at one school and taking them to another where there were mattresses for them to sleep on. Hull is definitely worth a visit.

I have been already this year and admit to having reservations about going - but I must say I could have spent longer there because there was so much more to see and do than we had time for.

I'm planning to take the GCs next week. Hope there's plenty for children to do. We have been to The Deep many times (using Tesco vouchers) which is a great day out, too.

I've only ever seen Hull in the dark. We were on a coach trip to Amsterdam and boarded the ferry which sailed from Hull. I don't think we'll manage to get there any time soon though. It's a bit of a drive from Northumberland.

I visited Hull for the first time last year when we took the DGC to The Deep (after many promises to do so). Very expensive to get into, although I believe you can visit several times for the price of one ticket (which is fine if you live nearby but not much good if, like us you were travelling from Tyneside). They did enjoy it though.

Not sure about this whole "City of culture thing" mind you.

It does have hotels where you can stay overnight, like lots of other cities!

The Humber Bridge on the news at the moment having been given listed status.
My dad took a coachful of bigwigs to the opening of the bridge. My parents ashes were put in the Humber under the bridge, so we always have to go there when we go past. My dad would have been thrilled.
I was born there, lived there until I was 18, then went back in my forties for ten years.

It's definitely changed since I were a kid.

Sunderland is up for City of Culture next time.

They are saying that one in three residents are taking part in something in Hull for city of culture this year.
When we moved back to Hull my husband was responsible for the refurbishment of Ferens Art Gallery and the City Hall.
I imagine they have been done again for this year.

It's only about 2.5 hours from Tyneside, isn't it?

Does anyone know anyone who took part in the blue painting?

The Wilberforce Museum, the done up Holy Trinity church ( now upgraded to a Minster) Andrew Marvel's statue, Matitime Museum, Ferens, Land of Green Ginger. I stayed at the Holiday Inn at the Marina - wonderful eating places in easy walking distance. Walking along the Humber from the Marina, the Old Town and it's amazing history, King Billies Statue......

No dj but I met a man who did on the pedestrian swing bridge ( which you can stand on whilst it opens when they test it on a Sunday morning)

I used to go to Holy Trinity for Christmas and Easter. Very high church. Not surprised it's a minster now.
Another of my husband's refurbishment jobs was the indoor market. He wanted to get them to have all the meat and fish separate from the fruit and veg, for hygiene purposes.
The stall holders didn't want to. The last time we went there, we noticed it had been all mixed up again.

New vicar at the Minster - he's lovely

I think I saw the old police station in Queen's Gardens was being turned into flats.
That would be a good place to live, having Queens Gardens as your front garden. Just a slight inconvenience of thousands of students going to the college during the term, but you can't have everything.

I would think so, Rigby. It's fifty years since I went there for Christmas.

Oldgoat take them to the Transport Museum which has old vehicles, a mock up shopping street from 1920, a mock up of an old coaching with a coach that you can take a ride in (not a real ride but it feels real...I felt terribly travel sick lol). Then next door is the Hull and East Riding Museum which tracks local history from prehistoric times. There is a mock up of a Celtic village, a Roman market place, lots of original Roman mosaicsm, a Roman bathhouse (complete with Roman bathers)....and so much more.. Finally on the riverside of the same site is the Arctic Corsair, a side winder trawler that you can go around. The men who act as guides are ex-trawler men. Then if you aren't exhausted go to the Town Docks Museum in the city centre and see the skeleton of huge whale. Across the square from there is Feren's Art Gallery. Lots of different things to see. At the moment the Sea of Hull (the blue people) is on display. It's odd but because they're blue you don't actually notice they're naked. All the museums and the gallery are free.

If you want a nice carvery go back up the A63 for about 5 minutes (max) to the St Andrews Quay turn off. Turn right at the round about and you'll see a pub/restaurant called Red Sails. Lovely carvery, children welcome and deserts to die for lol.

Don't be fooled into using the expensive car parks if you can avoid them. If you drive along the A63 as if you're going to the docks you will go over Myton Bridge. You'll see the Deep on your right hand side and a Premier Inn on your left. Turn left just over the bridge and follow the signs for the Deep. You will pass the Premier Inn and see a car park in front of it. This car park is much cheaper than those in the centre. There is a foot bridge over the River Hull next to the car park. Cross this bridge. You will be able to see the Arctic Corsair. Walk up the riverside walk and when you get to the Arctic Corsair you will see a pathway to the museums.

Have fun

Oh my goodness I forgot about Holy Trinity. Check if the renovations have been finished though before you go in. If they have then you and the children can go on a mouse hunt (there are several Robert Thompson pieces in the Minster). They have a little rhyme with clues to help you find them. Mind you even if they haven't finished them the parts that have been finished are stunning.

How many days are you coming for lol?

DH has just reminded me about the Humber Bridge...now a Grade 1 listed building. Well worth a visit. There are two ways to see it. Go down to the foreshore, see it from underneath and have a walk in the country park. There is a restaurant that does nice food. Or go to the top car park and follow the path up onto the bridge. Brilliant views.

We used to go to Hessle foreshore a lot when we were kids, pre-bridge era. It was a good day out, as was going on the ferry to New Holland.
Making me think I ought to go for a few days in the holidays.

It does have hotels where you can stay overnight, like lots of other cities

Really dj ? You never cease to amaze me with useful information.

I will bear that in mind for another time and the 5 of us could stay for a week and visit The Deep every day just to get our money's worth.

It's only about 2.5 hours from Tyneside, isn't it?

Oops yes, a 5 hour round trip so positively around the corner.