The Fish Trail in Hull: The Perfect Tour for Families

What is the Hull Fish Trail?

The seven seas fish trail is a family-friendly trail of 41 life-size fish. Sometimes referred to as hull’s unique pavement fish, the trail was created  in 1992 by artist Gordon Young in association with Hull City Council and Seven Seas to breathe new life into the city centre. It was created at a time when Hull was seen as dilapidated and amongst the worst cities in Britain. Efforts to boost the profile of the city have included the fish pavement trail, the Amy Johnson Festival moths (2016), and the Larkin’ with Toads (2010) public art projects – all of which have been instrumental in Hull’s bid for UK City of Culture in 2017. 

As someone born in the year of its creation, I grew up hearing all about the fish trail in Hull. I would often spot some of the aquatic creatures during our many trips into the city centre and would always hear the words “we’ll come and do that trail one day”. So, in the summer of 2024, with a four year old walking alongside me and a 15 month old in the buggy, we spent a wonderful four hours exploring our city and finally “doing that trail”. 

Where does the trail start and end?

The official trail of fish starts outside Hull City Hall Ticket Office and ends at the top of Whitefriargate. The route of the famous fish trail will take you through the marina, round the museum quarter, and past the medieval bricks of Beverley gate. 

The beauty of this trail of sculptures is that you can complete as much or as little as you like. You could start at any of the points, and follow the trail. We started at the museum quarter, headed through the marina, across Murdoch’s Connection (the new bridge over the A63), up to City Hall, down Whitefriargate, through the Land of Green Ginger, and back up to old town. 

How long does it take to complete?

Hull’s popular fish trail is advertised to take around 2 hours, however this very much depends on who is walking it, how long you spend searching to each aquatic creature, and how many times you stop for food and drink or a play. 

We found 18 sea creatures in four hours, although this did include a wander round two museums, two stops for croissants and ice creams, a 20 minute run about, and a very tired pair of little legs. 

You probably could, as an adult, complete the entire route of the famous fish tour in an hour and a half if you were so inclined. But as a family activity – I would plan to spend a whole day exploring and enjoying everything that Hull has to offer en route. 

Is it suitable for families/children/people with disabilities?

Absolutely! There are some areas which may be more difficult to navigate due to narrow pathways and cobblestones, however there can usually be found an alternate route if these pose an issue. We completed the route with a 4 year old who needed lots of rests, and a toddler in a buggy and didn’t find any issues. 

There are plenty of places to stop and rest along the trail, here are some of our recommendations:

• Queen’s Gardens: although currently under refurbishment, the gardens are a 5 minute detour that is well worth the effort.
• Hull Minster: a hop, skip, and a jump from hull’s indoor market, Hull Minster offers a perfect backdrop for those looking to marvel in some classic architecture.
• Hull marina: with plenty of seating options, this is a lovely spot to sit and marvel at the array of boats docked up.
• Fruit market: a short detour from the marina is the fruit market. A once dilapidated area, the new range of independent businesses means this area is thriving and offers a perfect place to grab a bite to eat whilst resting weary legs.
• The museum quarter: with its own little peace garden with a range of benches, it’s a little known haven in the bustling city centre.
• Scale lane bridge: tucked away off Hull’s infamous High Street is this magnificent feat of engineering. With a small area of plants and benches, it’s a great spot for a rest.
• Princes Quay: the shopping centre offers a range of retail opportunities, eateries, bowling, and a cinema. 

Is there a map or guide to the trail?

I would highly recommend the use of a map, as there are no signposts or guidance markers around the trail itself, and despite being a well-known trail in Hull, you would be hard pressed to find a local who could guide you, reliably, to your next stop. 

A map is available at the Tourist Information Centre which is now in Paragon Interchange (the bus and train station) who also offer a certificate of completion if you return to them at the end of your journey. This is a little out of the way for the fish trail if you have travelled by car, so it may be worth visiting the Visit Hull website to download and print out a map before you go.

Alternatively, there is an online version of the trail available through the East Yorkshire free app called “what was here”.  A condensed version of Hull’s fish trail, it offers 27 of the sculptures alongside the addition of a historical photograph of the area, allowing you to step back in time and imagine Hull as it once was. This is the version of the trail we initially did and Bertie loved finding similarities and differences between the old photographs and now. 

Are there any interesting facts about the fish or the trail?

There are over 40 different types of fish on the trail and each sculpture is made to scale of the actual size of fish – yes, even the 10 ft ray!  Each letter of the alphabet is represented within the series of sculptures from the tiny anchovy and brilliant brill to the shoal of tiny x-ray fish and zander fish. 

Rumour has it, that artist Gordon Young was asked to bring a sculpture trail to Hull to bring back some of the maritime glory the city once held. He was stuck for ideas, but whilst on his Hull tour, kept finding labels from fish packets which inspired the trail we see today. 

You may just spot some of artist’s sense of humour as you follow the trail around the city centre – the placing of a plaice, a shark outside a former bank, and an electric eel outside of an electrical substation add a little laugh to adults completing the trail. 

The shrimp, eel, and squid are seemingly the most difficult to find, with many giving up. But don’t, it is well worth the extra time to find these so you can truly say you have completed the trail. Top tip: the x-ray fish is a glass panel on the floor by Beverley gate. Sadly this has been broken which makes it incredibly hard to find this fish. 

A free souvenir certificate is available for all those who complete (or at least attempt!) the trail. This can be obtained by asking at the Tourist Information Centre. 

The fish trail has now been digitised. The “What Was Here” app developed by the East Riding Archives gives explorers the opportunity to turn their mobile phone into a Time Machine. By following the interactive map, users can step back in time and see what streets, buildings, or areas looked like throughout history. Victorian artist F.S. Smith’s drawings make up the majority of the images from the late 19th and early 20th Century. 

Are there any other nearby attractions or amenities?

The seven seas Hull fish trail offers the chance to visit some of Hull’s most popular attractions. Some are en route, and others are just a short detour away. They are perfect opportunities to break up the long walk. Here are some of our recommendations. 

• The Museum Quarter: here you will find three fabulous free museums – the Street Life Museum of Transport, the Hull and East Riding Museum, and Wilberforce House – each bringing something unique to learn about and explore. 
• Ferens Art Gallery: the perfect place to appreciate some art, with an area dedicated for young children to explore their senses and an onsite cafe.
• Maritime Museum: currently closed for refurbishment, you can bet we’ll be visiting as soon as it reopens!
• Old Town: featuring the iconic High Street which was been featured in a number of films and productions, this is the perfect place to explore some of Hull’s rich history. 
• Britains smallest window: just at the top of Whitefriargate is one of Hull’s best kept secrets. Children and adults can have a good five minutes of fun seeing who can be the first to locate the minuscule window.
• Trinity Market: since it’s revamp in 2017, it has become a popular site for foodies with a range of events throughout the year.
• Hepworth Arcade: the only L shaped arcade in the country, Hepworth Arcade offers a range of unique and independent traders.
• Humber Street: this once dilapidated fish market has had a real glow up and is now home to a range of independent retailers. 
• Hull Minster: Englands largest parish church, this Grade I listed building was formerly known as Holy Trinity Church until it was given minster status in 2017. 

What is the best time to visit?

Being an outdoor activity, the long trail can be enjoyed year-round, though I would recommend visiting on a sunny day as it can be difficult to stay motivated for such a long walk through the rain.

Despite most Hull folk being aware of the trail, I’ve never met anyone else who has completed it so you’re unlikely to become stuck in a crowd looking for the same fish. However, the city centre can be crowded on weekends and during school holidays, and with many of the sculptures being close to these busy areas, this can add to the crowding. 

I would avoid travelling to or from the fish trail during rush hour – Hull is notorious for traffic jams, and, despite attempts to improve the flow of traffic, ongoing roadworks do pose an issue at key times. 

What is the story behind the creation of the trail?

The Hull Fish Trail is a series of 41 life-size fish sculptures and plaques embedded in the sidewalks of Hull’s Old Town. It was created to celebrate Hull’s rich fishing and maritime heritage.

While there is limited information about when the fish trail was created, rumours suggest the creator found a range of empty fish packets littering the streets of Hull whilst pondering what his new sculpture trail would include which led to a spark of inspiration. 

What could we do after the trail?

Bertie loved the trail so much that he didn’t stop talking about it for weeks! He asked to go back again and again to find the fish we missed and show his Dad his favourite ones.

At home he used his toys to set up his own trail and drew a map for me to follow – this masqueraded a perfect mark making opportunity including writing and recognising letters and numbers which Bertie isn’t always keen on! A perfect screen-free way to spend the afternoon.

If you enjoyed the Hull Fish Trail, why not try some of these other local walks?

• Beverley Town Trail of Medieval Guilds and Crafts
• Beverley Art Trail