Grimsby Voyage Tips and guide

Grimsby is a fishing port in Lincolnshire, standing on the south bank of the mouth of the River Humber, with a population in 2021 of 86,000. It merges into the seaside town of Cleethorpes, and this conurbation and rural hinterland comprise the unitary Local Authority of North East Lincolnshire, also called Great Grimsby.

There has been a fishing settlement here for over 1000 years – “Grimsby” is a Viking name. It grew up at the point where a creek flowed out of the marshes into the Humber. The marshes were drained and became farmland in the 17th century but the town remained small until the industrial 19th century. Then the harbour was expanded to accommodate a thriving fishing fleet. The town’s civic buildings and sights of interest date from this period and cluster around this first dockland, the Alexandra and Old Fish Docks. Above all Grimsby and Cleethorpes owed their growth to the Victorian railway network, which carried away a boundless supply of fish to the nation’s dinner tables, and carried in Yorkshire coal for export, and holidaymakers keen to escape from their mills and collieries to the seaside.

Fishing and sea trade continued to expand in the 20th century and larger docks were built, which remain busy. At its peak in the 1950s, Grimsby was the largest and busiest fishing port in the world. Related industries were the processing of fish and other food, maritime services, and haulage. The big decline began in the 1960s, when Iceland claimed Atlantic fishing grounds (the “Cod Wars”) that British fisherman had traditionally used. And fish catches everywhere were dwindling because of over-fishing, and restrictive European catch quotas were imposed. Grimsby was never a pretty town, but now it became very run-down, and its modern developments were ugly.

It survived thanks to new industry along the Humber. Much of Britain’s oil comes ashore at nearby Immingham, to be refined and re-exported or distributed domestically. Many of the cars to burn that oil are imported via Killingholme. So, perhaps against the odds, Grimsby is nowadays this country’s largest port complex in terms of tonnage. But it has further suffered from the 21st century economic downturn, much remains to be done to regenerate its centre, and Brexit has cramped the fishing and other maritime business.

53°34′19″N 0°4′48″W

Map of Grimsby

53.574-0.3511 Humberside Airport (HUY  ^IATA) is 12 miles west of Grimsby. The only scheduled flights are three per weekday from Aberdeen and Amsterdam, plus seasonal holiday packages. It's also a base for helicopter transfers to the offshore oil and gas rigs, and for private aviation.

There's a much better choice of flights into Manchester (MAN ^IATA), Leeds-Bradford (LBA ^IATA), East Midlands (EMA ^IATA) or the London airports.

From the south leave A1 at Newark, and follow A46 north-east past Lincoln all the way to Grimsby. Or from M1, take M18 north past Doncaster to M180 and follow it east. This passes Scunthorpe and the Humber Bridge turn-off, becomes A180, and approaches Grimsby past the oil refineries of Immingham.

From the north, join M62 and go east to M18, take this south to M180, then follow this east as above. The last services along the route are at the M18/180 junction, "Doncaster North", there's nothing for 40 miles before central Grimsby.

From London Victoria is 6 hr 20 min. Take National Express NX440 (heading for Derby) and change at Leicester onto NX151 coming from Birmingham: this also calls at Newark, Lincoln and Louth.

Stagecoach East Midlands Bus 250 takes 1 hr 50 min from Hull via Humber Bridge and Barton-upon-Humber. It's every 30 min M-Sa and every two hours on Sunday.

Bus 53 runs hourly from Lincoln, taking two hours via Market Rasen.

Riverhead Exchange has the central bus stops, near Freshney Place Shopping Centre.

Trains run hourly from Liverpool Lime Street via Warrington, Manchester Oxford Rd and Piccadilly, Sheffield, Doncaster and Scunthorpe.

They no longer run direct from Manchester Airport: take any train towards the city and change at Oxford Road, to avoid schlepping across Piccadilly.

Trains clatter through the fields every hour or two from Barton-on-Humber, which has a connecting bus across the Humber Bridge from Hull.

Trains run every couple of hours from Leicester via Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway, Nottingham, Newark Castle, Lincoln, Market Rasen, Barnetby and Habrough.

53.5636-0.08692 Grimsby Town is the main station. It has a ticket office and machines, toilets and a waiting room. There is step-free access to all platforms.

The trains from Liverpool and Barton continue east to Cleethorpes, another 10 min. Those from Barton stop midway at Grimsby Docks and at New Clee by the football ground.

Stagecoach buses run between Grimsby and Cleethorpes every ten min or so (Bus 3, 8 or 20), taking 20 min. Otherwise walk, or cycle to outlying attractions such as Waltham Windmill or Louth.

A dozen taxi operators serve Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

• 53.5691-0.08391 Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre, Alexandra Dock DN31 1UZ, ☏ +44 1472 323345. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. Explore the history of fishing in this area. With guided tour 3 times a day of Ross Tiger a 1950s diesel side-trawler. Adult £11.50, conc £8, child £5. (updated Sep 2025)
• 53.57075-0.0827612 Corporation Bridge is a bascule or lifting bridge spanning the entrance to Alexandra Dock, the old fish docks. These are nowadays inactive so the bridge is almost always open to traffic. Nevertheless the mechanism is maintained and the bridge lifted for occasional special purposes or test.
• 53.5831-0.07033 Dock Tower is an impressive local landmark and symbol of the town visible from miles around. An Italianate brick campanile, it was built in 1852 as a water tower to work the dock gates: water was pumped up to the header tank then turned the lock machinery by hydraulic pressure. No public access, it stands on private dockland.
• 53.564846-0.0822394 Town Hall (Time Trap Museum), Victoria Street DN31 1HX, ☏ +44 1472 324109. M-F 10AM-4PM. Local history museum within the town hall's police cells. Town Hall is an impressive Victorian building but accessible otherwise only on business. Adult £3.75, conc or child £2.75. (updated Sep 2025)
• 53.5637-0.08945 Grimsby Minster, St James Square DN31 1EP, ☏ +44 1472 277277. Tu-Sa 9:30AM-2:30PM, Su 10AM-noon. Church of England minster and parish church dedicated to St James. The central tower is medieval, but most of the church structure and interior are Victorian. (updated Sep 2025)

• 53.616-0.21216 Immingham Museum, 272 Pelham Rd, Immingham DN40 1QE, ☏ +44 7518 899048. Tu W Sa 1-4PM. Small museum of that town's history. Donation. (updated Sep 2025)
• Fernleigh is a 1907 prefab tin bungalow at 359 Pelham Rd, half a mile west of the museum. It's the only survivor of five built for workers constructing Immingham Docks.
• 53.5111-0.10217 Waltham Windmill, Brigsley Rd, Waltham DN37 0JZ, ☏ +44 7487 379769. Apr-Sep Sa Su 10AM-4PM. A six-sailed brick windmill built 1878, with the mechanism still in working order and able to produce flour. There’s also a museum of rural life in Lincolnshire. Adult £3, child £1. (updated Sep 2025)
• 53.4675-0.04038 Lincolnshire Wolds Railway, Station Road, North Thoresby DN36 5QT. Apr-Sep Su. A one mile standard-gauge railway, steam-hauled. Adult £10, conc £8, child £6. (updated Sep 2025)

• Football: 53.5702-0.04661 Grimsby Town FC ("The Mariners") play soccer in League 2, the fourth tier. Their home stadium Blundell Park (capacity 9000) is just across the town boundary into Cleethorpes, a 20-min walk from that station and 30 from Grimsby's (or 10 min from New Clee). Don't try to park around here, the Victorian stadium is hemmed in by narrow terraces.
• 53.5685-0.1132 Grimsby Auditorium, Cromwell Rd DN31 2BH, ☏ +44 300 300 0035. Multi-purpose venue built in 1995, staging music and theatre. The theatre seating is adaptable so capacity can extend to 2000. (updated Sep 2025)
• Leisure Centre, Cromwell Road DN31 2BH (next to Auditorium), ☏ +44 1472 323500. This has a swimming pool, ice rink and gym and fitness facilities. (updated Sep 2025)
• 53.5747-0.07133 Caxton Theatre, Cleethorpe Rd DN31 3HW, ☏ +44 1472 345167. Regular theatrical programme. (updated Sep 2025)
• Look up your ancestors: the NE Lincolnshire archive centre is within Grimsby town hall.
• Golf: Grimsby GC is west edge of town on Little Coates Rd. White tees 6046 yards, par 70.

Tetney GC is inland at Tetney village. Waltham Windmill GC is in Waltham village.

• Walk or cycle the Humber coastline either north or south of the port, for views across the Humber estuary to Spurn Head. It's mostly a firm broad track along the shore wall, though there are tracts of coastal industry (especially at Immingham) where you need to swing inland to get around. Use OS Landranger Map 113.
• Fenland scenery of Lincolnshire stretches inland, with windswept fields and big skies. Away from the shore industries, the coast is empty of people and rich in birdlife, and the beaches improve as you move south away from the Humber mud.
• 53.4996-0.07154 Chequered Flag is a Go-karting track for kids and adults at Cheapside, Holton-le-Clay DN37 0JE, 6 miles south of Grimsby off A16. For bookings email [email protected] or call +44 1472 823823.

Freshney Place is the main shopping centre, a quarter mile north of the station, open M-Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM, Su 10AM-4PM.

Sainsbury's on Corporation Rd is open M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM.

As a fishing port, Grimsby is famous for its fish & chips and smoked haddock. See Cleethorpes for Steels, and the huge Papa John's on the pier.

• Around the station are Bare Street Kitchen, Abby's Bistro, Tredici, Holl's Kitchen, St James, Spice of Life, Da Vinci, Sage and Axios.
• 53.5623-0.29111 New Inn Great Limber is a standout restaurant with rooms, 11 miles west on A18.

Town centre has Yarborough Hotel (below), Jungle Smash, Haven Arms, Pal Bar, Curious Cat, Racks Pool Bar, Boston Brothers, Old Lloyd Arms, The Barge, Hope and Anchor, and Duke of Wellington.

• Holiday Inn Express, 3 - 9 Wellowgate DN32 0RA (at railway station), ☏ +44 1472 806000. Boxy modern place, clean and comfy. B&B double £150. (updated Sep 2025)
• Yarborough Hotel, 29 Bethlehem Street DN31 1JN (50 yards north of station), ☏ +44 1472 268283. Spoons pub with decent rooms. Double (room only) £60. (updated Sep 2025)
• St James Hotel is dated and dingy. It's 100 yards north of the station at St James Square DN31 1XZ.
• 53.579-0.10771 Premier Inn, Appian Way, off Gilbey Rd DN31 2UT, ☏ +44 333 003 1688. Reliable budget chain. B&B double £160. (updated Sep 2025)
• 53.5601-0.12082 Humber Royal Hotel, Little Coates Rd DN34 4LX, ☏ +44 1472 240024. It looks like a secondary school, but it's clean and comfy within. B&B double £120. (updated Sep 2025)
• 53.5731-0.16783 Healing Manor Hotel, Stallingborough Rd, Healing DN41 7QF, ☏ +44 1472 884544. Smart country hotel, often hosts weddings. B&B double £150. (updated Sep 2025)
• 53.5785-0.20574 Stallingborough Grange, Riby Rd, Stallingborough DN41 8BU, ☏ +44 7400 425099. Another country hotel in the wedding trade. B&B double £140. (updated Sep 2025)
• Cleethorpes as a resort has much more accommodation.

There’s a run-down, rough edge to Grimsby. You should be safe enough daytime but at night the main area to avoid is around the docks, Riby Square and Freeman Street. For a quiet drink with your friends, maybe head for Cleethorpes.

As of Sep 2025, Grimsby and its approach roads have 4G from Vodafone, and 5G from EE, O2 and Three.

• Cleethorpes 2 miles along the coast has seaside attractions.
• Hull is the big busy port across the estuary, with a maritime heritage.
• Lincoln has a charming preserved medieval centre.
• Louth 15 miles south is an attractive market town much used for 1950s TV locations.

END ←	N  S	→ Louth → Peterborough
Lincoln ← Market Rasen ←	SW  E	→ Cleethorpes