Cleveland Way - Thirsk to Swainby (★★★★★)

The Cleveland Way is one of my regular walking routes - and a particularly nice section of of the Cleveland Way is the section running from Sutton Bank up to Swainby, via Osmotherly.

When walking this route, I take the train down to Thirsk - and then head out from Thirsk, through the fields to Lake Gormire - where I can then climb up to the Cleveland Way. From here,the Cleveland Way can be walked round to Swainby. From there I will usually just walk the remainder of the way home, but you can get the bus as Swainby or Osmotherley (check the times as these are not frequent and the timetable does change over time), and get to the train network at Northallerton.

And so, I am heading out on the early train to Thirsk, to begin my walk today. Here, there is a bit of a walk just to get to Thirsk itself - walking past Thirsk Racecourse, and then through Thirsk, and out the other side, to head over the A19.

This two mile section adds a slightly less exciting section to the walk, but having crossed over the A19, it is a short walk, before a farm track appears on the right of the road - and I head down this track, past Woodcock, and then on through the fields, to meet up with a minor road.

While following this track, Sutton Bank starts to come into view, and the cliffs at Sutton Bank will continue to grow in size, as our path heads closer and closer.

Having met up with the minor road, we turn right towards Bagby, and then bend left, and follow the road down to Balk. Here there is a path to the left, just after the stream - which we turn down to wind along the edge of the fields, with the caravan site to our left.

This path takes us round to just before the village of Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe - which we pass through much of, before turning to the left towards Water Hall. Very quickly we then turn right, heading up to Low Cleaves - and this is a pretty drive with horses, llamas and sheep to admire on the way by.

Walking down the drive (this was taken in April - hence the difference in the foliage)

Having climbed up, a path heads off in the same direction as the drive, up through the fields, as the drive turns to the left towards Low Cleaves - and we take this path to climb up into the woods.

From here there are a few more sheep fields to clear, before heading into some more woods, to begin a climb up to Lake Gormire - which sits below Whitestone Cliff, which forms part of Sutton Bank. 

Arriving at Lake Gormire

Looking out from slightly further round the lake

This is a very pleasant lake to walk around, and with it being early in the day, it is quiet here - and this always makes a good spot for the first break of the day, and maybe even a spot for some breakfast.

Heading on, the path continues round the lake, before it is time to head on a fairly direct path up the ridge to Sutton Bank - up through Garbutt Wood to Sutton Bank.

After a long climb, we eventually reach the top - and here the turn to the right would take us round to Sutton Bank (and at some point I will add a writeup for the section round from Thirsk to Helmsley going this way), while we turn left at this point, heading out along the bank.

The view out from Sutton Bank

The visitors to Sutton Bank generally tend to stick to the section that would be visited by turning right, but for me this section to the left is the best section of Sutton Bank - and from here we head along with fabulous views out, across the fields below.

After a very short walk, we pass along the top of Whitestone Cliff, and then there is a bench to rest on, looking out over the lake that we, not so long ago, were walking alongside.

Not a bad spot for a bench

Looking towards Whitestone Cliff from the same point

After a short break, we head onwards, and the path turns to the right, as it continues to follow the ridge - and with the climb done to get up here, there is minimal climbing left for the rest of the day (there is some climbing left for the day though, before you get too excited). Indeed the Cleveland Way is very good for generally following the ridge, while some other trails tend to take a roller coaster route - up and down the hills.

From here the path bends round on a route above South Woods, and then turns round more to the north-west, as we continue to head along the ridge.

View out just past South Woods

Just down on the plains from here is the village of Thirlby - which is where James Wight (the author behind James Herriot) lived from 1977 to 1995 - having worked in Thirsk for most of his life.

While the Yorkshire Dales gets much of the credit for being Herriot Country, in reality Darrowby is Thirsk, the racecourse past earlier in the day is the race course at Darrowby and this countryside is very much the real Herriot Country. The Dales were used to help protect the anonymity of Wight, and the people included in his stories, rather than being where he actually lived - and it is a distance to travel to reach the Dales from Thirsk.

But sticking to our task today - from here there are a few bumps in the path, before it curves round to face more north-easterly again, as we reach Boltby Scar. Here you get great views out across Boltby and the surrounding countryside.

This was also the site of an old Iron Age fort - and although there is not much information about it on the walk - this whole stretch along Sutton Bank is full of historical sites - with Roulston Scar (the other direction towards Sutton Bank) having the other Iron Age fort, and also being the site of the Battle of Byland where Robert the Bruce defeated the English after a failed invasion of Scotland (there are a few signs about this one on the trails).

Sadly much of this history isn't that well documented along the route, and while I tried to find out more about the sites online, I largely failed to find all that much to report back on.

Looking ahead on the path from Boltby Scar

Through the fields just past Boltby Scar

But, from here we head on past the dilapidated High Barn, and then on to Sneck Yate Bank, where we cross a minor road, and head on towards Low Paradise Farm.

Passing some sheep on the way at Sneck Yate Bank

Having passed Low Paradise Farm, we follow a farm drive up a bit of an ascent to reach High Paradise Farm - and here they operate a cafe that is open to horse riders, cyclists and walkers (you cannot drive here to visit the cafe).

After passing through the farm, the path briefly continues out, and then turns left - to head between Dale Town Common and Boltby Forest.

Having dipped just inside the edge of Boltby Forest, there is a short walk through the trees, before coming out by a barrow site on the moors.

Heading on from here, the route passes through Little Moor, and then passes above Kepwick Moor in the valley below and along the edge of Arden Great Moor, before turning to the left at Whitestone Scar and on to Black Hambledon.

I presume this mound is named Black Hambledon on the basis that it always looks a bit miserable in the shade when viewed from below - and indeed it is hard to get a good picture of this hill without it looking a bit dull - but this is a guess based upon what I can see, and I do not know the true history behind the name. Still it is a little dull to look at from below, despite its size.

But from here the onward route starts to drop down, and the views open up, as we start to begin the descent down into Osmotherley.

Looking out towards Osmotherley in the valley

Looking out to the left on the way down

On the way down, the path drops down to the car park at Square Corner, and then turns to the left, heading down to the reservoirs below.

Dropping down to the reservoirs

Here the route follows the reservoirs, and then cuts across (up a small climb) to the road - crossing over before heading rounds and then down, to cross over Cod Beck. This stream runs from Cod Beck Reservoir (very slightly to the north) on a meandering route south, to join up with Thirsk, where our walk began.

Having crossed over this stream, the path climbs up a series of steps, and then between fields, on its way into Osmotherley.

Here there is the chance to stop and have food, visit the shop, visit the toilets, and / or take the bus to Northallerton - but aside from a quick stop at the shop to get some food and drink, we head on turning right and up the hill.

Once outside of Osmotherley, the path turns left to pass by a series of houses, before bending round to the north to pass by Lady's Chapel (if you want to divert off onto the drive up to Lady's Chapel, you will re-join up with the path ahead and won't add additional distance).

At Chapel Wood Farm there is additionally a path heading down the ridge on the left - and this could take you down to Mount Grace Priory - which is worth a visit on a day when you have time (you do have to pay to get in and have a look around). Doing this today would mean a big drop down and then a big climb back up, however.

Mount Grace Priory as it would have looked

You can't get any view of the priory from here, but it is a fairly well preserved monastery that was built in 1398, with 25 individual cells with their own gardens for monks to live in - all surrounding a central green. In better condition is a more modern 17th century mansion on the site and the gardens from that later mansion remain.

The monks from the priory built the chapel you can walk by (Lady's Chapel) in the 15th century, although that is a much more humble building and not on the same scale as the priory. In general it is nice to walk around the priory, and it is peaceful both to walk through and to imagine living in one of the monk's cells - safe from the madness of the world.

But as it is, we can't get any view of the priory from here - and instead head on. Here the Cleveland Way used to head along a lower route through the field of cows, but now goes up higher onto the ridge, and then drops down on the far side. The higher route has much better views - and some more benches - but the route down can be muddy and slippery (UPDATE - this has been improved). This higher route also passes very close to Lady's Chapel, and a path can be found to the chapel on the right that takes you a very short distance to the chapel.

Meeting a resident of the field who wanted to give me a lick

Heading on, the path now starts to climb up, to re-gain more of the height lost passing through Osmotherley - and as you leave behind the trees and pass onto Scarth Wood Moor, you start to get views out to the next sections of the Cleveland Way, and of Rosberry Topping in the distance (the Cleveland Way visits Rosberry Topping on its way to Swainby).

Looking out towards the next sections of Cleveland Way (and Swainby below on the left)

Having passed through the gate onto Scarth Wood Moor, there is a bench with views out along the path ahead - and having taken a break here and got going again, the path heads on heading eastwards, with views out of Cod Beck Reservoir to the side.

Here the path is now dropping down - and the descent gets steeper to allow the path to head across the road at Scarth Nick - before climbing back up on the far side, as it heads through some woods.

From here, the path heads down a long series of steps - and at the base of these, it is a very short walk to a point where the Cleveland Way heads round to the right, but where our route heads down the hill, and into Swainby to end the walk for the day.

There are (infrequent) buses from Swainby and depending on the evolution of the bus timetable, it may be better to end in Osmotherley instead. But my route heads on from here on food to head home.

Enjoyment Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5

Click the link to see the next section of the Cleveland Way, walking from Kildale round to Swainby.

Disclaimer: This writeup provides a narrative of what to expect rather than a route guide to follow. The route is covered by the 93 (very briefly), 99 (briefly) and 100 OS Landranger maps - while there is also a Cleveland Way guidebook which includes OS mapping (links redirect to Amazon). The route is in general well way-marked.