I went on Britain’s most unusual safari in the middle of nowhere – with whales, porpoises and swifts

SPURN is one of Britain’s geographical oddballs.

It is a narrow spit of land that curves round the northern end of the Humber Estuary like a witch’s fingernail.

Spurn is home to one of Britain’s most unusual safaris[/caption]

The only way to reach Spurn Head is aboard the safari’s Unimog[/caption]

At 128ft, Spurn Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in northern England[/caption]

And on the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s charmingly unusual safari there, I learn that it’s the isolation that makes Spurn special.

Since 2013, “Yorkshire’s Land’s End” has become even more isolated. Huge tidal surges have washed away sand banks and the road to Spurn Head at the tip.

Now, when tides are particularly high, the peninsula becomes an island.

Unless you’re prepared to tackle a six-mile round-trip walk across soft sands, the only way to reach Spurn Head is aboard the safari’s Unimog — a big, black, ex-military vehicle which tackles the rough tracks that would scupper ordinary cars.

The open sides make it perfect for wildlife-viewing, too.

The bird-watchers on board keep their binoculars pointed at the estuary’s mud flats, which are a happy feeding ground for cormorants, curlews, oystercatchers, golden plovers and more.

While Spurn is largely left to nature now, in the past humans have found many uses for it.

David Whitley

You don’t need to be a hardened twitcher to realise that Spurn is a treasured haven for birds, though. Above, hundreds of swifts dive and glide in the gentle sea breeze.

On the other side of the truck, eyes are cast over the sandy beaches towards the North Sea. This is where harbour porpoises, minke whales and grey seals are often spotted.

In front, however, is Spurn Lighthouse. At 128ft, it’s the tallest lighthouse in northern England, and it has been converted into a mini-museum.

As we climb the 147 steps for spectacular views from the top, there are poetry and art displays. But the signs explaining Spurn’s geography and history are most fascinating.

Diagrams show how the winds, tides and drifting sediments have created this weird ribbon of land.

And while Spurn is largely left to nature now, in the past humans have found many uses for it.

Historically, Spurn has been a major source of gravel and a base for the crabbing industry.

In the 1800s, a battery of guns was placed there to defend the Humber, with the military presence ramped up considerably in World War Two.

The military left in 1951, but traces remain, including sections of railway track.

Our guide, Daz Parkinson, opens his book to show photos of how the lighthouse keepers used those tracks. They attached sails to carts, and sped along the rails in improvised land boats.

About a metre from the water’s edge, we spot a grey seal[/caption]

Daz continues to be a fountain of knowledge at Spurn Head, where he leads us on a walk through the old military and lifeboat crew buildings.

The former parade ground, it turns out, is surprisingly popular with seagulls.

“They pick up crab shells on the beach and drop them on the paving slabs to smash them,” he says.

“They do it here because it’s out in the open, and they can see any foxes coming.”

Magical encounter

He is like an encyclopaedia on the butterfly species and wildflowers, too.

The little orange-red flowers are scarlet pimpernels, we learn. Viper’s bugloss can be crushed up and used as antivenom for snake bites.

And the name daisy comes from “day’s eye”, because it closes up at night and reveals its yellow centre during the day.

He also explains how nature is being used to preserve Spurn.

In winter, highland cattle and Hebridean sheep are brought in to graze, keeping the grass in check and providing space for the flowers to grow.

Meanwhile, oysters have been reintroduced to the estuary, providing a protective bank and cleaning the water.

Eventually, though, the walk leads to the beach at Spurn Head.

Daz tells us to look out for the grey stones, as these are the ones that often have fossils in.

However, it’s soon time for the stories to stop and the hushed admiration to begin.

On the sand, about a metre from the water’s edge, is a grey seal. We keep our distance as it is resting and we don’t want to spook it back into the water.

At Yorkshire’s most isolated tip — a place where nobody comes on the way to anywhere else — it’s a magical encounter.

But one big sea creature is not the point of this most unusual safari.

With butterflies, birds, flowers and ever-changing nature, Spurn is somewhere to savour the small things.