Cleveland Way

Most people describe the Cleveland Way as two walks in one, the first circling the moors, with splendid views to the west and the north; the second going down the coast from Saltburn-by-the-Sea to Filey. I'd add a third stage, a short one right at the start, following the beautiful wooded Rye Valley past Rievaulx Abbey. Rievaulx Abbey is just one of the many ancient monuments that you pass - others include Helmsley Castle, Whitby Abbey and Scarborough Castle.

There is some dispute about the length of the walk, with books and websites giving lengths between 108 and 110 miles. I'll settle for the 109 miles given on the signpost close to the end of the walk, at Filey Brigg. The walk is exceptionally well signposted, and we also carried 1: 25000 maps and the Aurum Press National Trail Guide ('Cleveland Way' by Ian Sampson).

So why did we decide to walk to Cleveland Way? We have had several family holidays to the North York Moors, staying near Rosedale in 1993, near Hutton-le-Hole in 1998 and (with Helen only) near Helmsley in 2005. On each occasion we visited both the moors and the coast and fell in love with both. The photograph on the right shows Helen at Runswick Bay in 1993.

As the children got older, and we all enjoyed walking, we walked several short legs of the Cleveland Way. We're interested in geology too, and the path passes many sites of geological interest as well remains of Alum and Iron mining. I've studied trace fossils on the beach at Staithes as part of an Open University residential school.

The final impetus came from the fact that Helen and her boyfried Tom (shown at Roseberry Topping) walked the Cleveland Way in reverse in 2007. They then followed the Ebor way from Helmsley to Ilkley before Helen joined us on the Dales Way through to Windermere. Helen likes a challenge; we're happy to walk one long distance path at a time! But Helen and Tom had recommended the Cleveland Way most enthusiastically, so it seemed a sensible destination for a holiday in June 2008.

Richard and I walked the Cleveland Way in 9 days, as recommended by the books and websites. No leg was longer than 15 miles and the shortest was just 9.5 miles, and they all felt quite manageable, even through there were some steep ascents and descents, especially between Osmotherley and Clay Bank, around Roseberry Topping and where the coastal cliffs descend to rivers and beaches.

The legs of the walk are determined by where there are places to stay. There is plenty of accommodation on the coast and in Helmsley and Osmotherley, but not much around Sutton Bank, Clay Bank and Kildale. We booked through Contours Walking Holidays, who found us accommodation at Sutton Bank, but we spent two nights off the path, in Great Broughton, with transport provided back up to Clay Bank and then from and to Kildale. It all worked very well. Our luggage was transported by Sherpa Van.

After walking the Herriot Way in snow, the Offa's Dyke Path in extreme heat and the Dales Way during 2007's distinctly soggy summer, we had almost perfect walking weather this time.

It was cool for June and although there were showers, we managed to avoid them most of the time. There weren't too many walkers about but as far as Saltburn we walked the path in the same stages and stayed at some of the same B&Bs as another walker called Tina, who had also booked through Contours, and at Filey Station on the way home we met two brothers who had also just finished the path (camping - though with their luggage transported by Sherpa Van - and in just eight days of walking).

We travelled to the start of the path by train from Downham Market to Ely, then to Peterborough, then to York, then to Malton, then a lovely bus journey from Malton to Helmsley, passing Nunnington Hall (which we remembered visiting when the children were younger - nice doll's houses!). By curious coincidence there was a model of Argyle House (our B&B in Helmsley) in the garden of the house, the home of John and Betty Leckenby. We had a pleasant evening meal in the bar of The Feathers Hotel. We travelled all the way home by train: Filey to Seamer; Seamer to York; York to Peterborough; Peterborough to Ely and Ely to Downham Market.

First day's walking on the Cleveland Way

For more photographs of our walk along the Cleveland Way, click here.