Follow the fish trail in Hull, Yorkshire’s new tourist magnet
There's a shark outside a bank, an electric eel outside an electrical substation, and several more leading down pretty back alleys that might otherwise be ignored
DOZENS of fish are carved into the streets of Hull.
There's a shark outside a bank, an electric eel outside an electrical substation, and several more leading down pretty back alleys that might otherwise be ignored.
The Fish Trail was set up to get people exploring Hull's old town, and following it throws up a few surprises.
There are several fantastic old pubs with ranges of hand-pulled beers that make you want to take a seat for the whole afternoon.
There are stretches of the medieval city wall that have been discovered under pavements. And then, almost unnoticeable on the wall of the George Hotel, is England's tiniest window.
What the fish trail does for getting people around Hull is nothing compared to the UK Capital of Culture title, which should do for getting people there in the first place.
Hull has that title for the whole of 2017, and will be launching a string of special events throughout the year.
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These include a gigantic fireworks display on New Year's Day, which will be followed with sculpture installations that encourage visitors to look up from their phones, world premiere theatre productions and pop-up galleries.
But the new shiny trinkets shouldn't be necessary. Hull is often forgotten, not really being on the way to anywhere else - but it turns out that the city has an awful lot in the locker.
The big stand-out attraction is suitably fish-themed. Standing at the northern edge of the Humber estuary, The Deep is the most successful of the Millennium projects.
With big tanks of sharks, tropical fish and an enclosure full of utterly adorable Gentoo penguins it's tempting to describe it as an aquarium. But it's much more than that.
The winding path down from the top of the building heads through millions of years of natural history. It covers the beginnings of life on Earth, through to the long-extinct sea creatures that evolved into reptiles, and giant sharks that were bigger than a T-Rex.
It's as much about how the oceans gave birth to the natural world we have today as what's in those oceans now. Evolution in Hull happens slightly quicker than it does underwater, though - and the Fruit Market area is a great example. Once full of warehouses stocking strawberries and apples, hip restaurants and bars are taking over.
The latest of these is Butler Whites, where massive lamb chops can be washed down with Swedish craft beer on big leather couches.
Also regenerated is High Street, the oldest street in Hull and runs parallel to the river. It is now home to the Museums Quarter, where three key attractions line up next to each other.
The Streetlife Museum is a winner for petrolheads - it's full of vintage cars, trams and trains.
The Hull and East Riding Museum, makes the region's history fascinating through giant woolly mammoths, Bronze Age boats and remarkably wellpreserved Roman mosaics.
The third in the trio of museums is Wilberforce House - birthplace of MP William Wilberforce who led the charge to end the Transatlantic slave trade.
His former home is now a museum - and it pulls no punches. The chains slaves were held in are on display and the vicious treatment they would get from plantation owners is described.
Particularly effective is the wall you can stand against, showing just how little space each slave was given on the ship from West Africa to the Caribbean.
After the horrors of the slaves' plight and the battles to free them comes the darkest section of all. This shines a light on the millions of people still in slavery today. It's a real eye-opener.
That's a phrase that can also be applied to Hull, in a more positive way.
Hull may be out on a limb, but the Capital of Culture year should show it's worth making a diversion for.
GO: HULL STAYING THERE: Rooms at the Mercure Royal Hotel () cost from £69. Walking tours with Tour Hull () cost £4 and are a great introduction to the city. Tickets for The Deep () cost £12, while all three of the Museums Quarter attractions have free entry.
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