East Yorkshire: Four days at home

The sky looks enormous: splashed with fluffy clouds, it shapes a high blue curtain above the wide open landscape. Long grass brushes our legs as we walk, the riverbank sweeping on our left down towards dense rustling golden reeds and the glistening silvery mouth of the River Humber. Ahead, the rivers Ouse and Trent spill into the body of water. Behind, the Wolds form the only rise on the distant horizon. The scene is all apple green, buttercup yellow and speckles of magenta, and the stillness interwoven by the whoosh of the wind, buzzing insects and the occasional jet overhead.

We're walking along part of the Yorkshire Wolds Way between the rural riverside hamlets of Faxfleet and Blacktoft, and are already into the swing of home. A little while back, we stopped to munch on Victoria Sponge from Miller's Cafe near Raywell and have now set our sights on the Hope and Anchor pub ahead.

Another walk another day takes us to Weedly Springs in Drewton Wood near South Cave, where the scene is a luscious study in green. Another still along the clifftops at RSPB Bempton, where the steep grassy slopes above the chalky cliffs are awash with primroses and wildflowers in enticing hues of purple and magenta. Gannets bustle about the cliffs, diving and swooping and defying the strong headwind, while nestled into alcoves are a couple of cute sad-eyed puffins. A tea of homemade meat pies from Newport Butchers finishes the day off nicely.

Our final day takes us to Hull, where we stumble across International Hanse Day on Trinity Square that celebrates Hull's past and present connection with the Hanseatic League (a marine alliance of trading guilds). Against the majestic backdrop of 14th-century Hull Minster, actors in medieval costume play traditional crumhorn and shawms, breathe fire and weave wool. It makes for people-watching of a most unusual sort as we settle on a bench to enjoy gooey caramel shortbread from nearby Be Coffee, lovely leaf tea from Caffeinated and Sicilian pistachio cake - scrumptious! - from friendly Alessandro's Italian Bakery, both in Trinity Market.

No good city trip would be complete without some world-class art, and Ferens Art Gallery provides it in the shape of Van Dyke's Triple Portrait of Charles I on loan from the Royal Collection. Within its temple-like white facade, Ferens houses an exceptional collection of works by European Old Masters, marine painting and contemporary British art - and admission is completely free!

Later, as we fly out of England to return to Switzerland, our plane is diverted due to French air traffic control strikes. And in a lovely twist of fate, we glide right over the river at Faxfleet, and can see that majestic meeting of rivers at the Humber, which winds its course to Hull, past Spurn Point and out into the North Sea.