Cleveland Way - Kildale to Saltburn (★★★☆☆)

The Cleveland Way on the North Yorkshire Moors is one of my local areas to go walking - and in general when walking in the North Yorkshire Moors, I tend to use the Cleveland Way as the main way around - with other routes such as the Esk Valley Walk providing other routes off.

One of the particular strengths of this part of the world for walking, is that the train stations are nicely placed to enable a lot of walking from A to B, using the trains to link walks up. As a result public transport is easily relied upon to get you around.

This walk makes use of both the train line running between Middlesbrough and Whitby, and also the line running from Middlesbrough to Saltburn - and is a favored winter route of mine because it is generally never too problematic in winter, and short enough to be done with the reduced light levels.

So on this day, I am heading out on the first train of the day to Kildale, and getting off the train only a very short distance from the path of the Cleveland Way as it heads through Kildale. There is a a writeup for the route heading in the opposite direction from Kidale round to Swainby along the Cleveland Way.

Heading out of the station, I turn left and left again, as the Cleveland Way cuts across the road from the station - and head up a very minor farm road, heading up to Bankside Farm.

After a steep climb up past the farm, there is another stretch of ascent to clear, before the path turns left and heads through a forest at Coate Moor.

Heading through the forest (it is cold today)

It is a cold start to the day, and it is only a little bit past 8am - so the day hasn't really had much of a chance to warm up at all, but it is at least very quiet out as I continue along the path - heading up to Easby Moor and Captain Cook Monument. Here you get great views looking out over the run of hills, along which the Cleveland Way can be found.

Having made it to the monument, the first climb of the day has been ticked off, and at the monument, there is a right turn to head towards Rosberry Topping.

First this involves a drop down the hill to the road and car park below, before climbing back up a similar height on the other side, to make it across to Great Ayton Moor.

There are others out and about on this cold day

The path to Rosberry Topping

As the path moves into Newton Moor, it bends round to the west and heads more directly to Roseberry Topping, with the towns of Teeside lying behind it in the distance.

The path of the Cleveland Way does actually go up Roseberry Topping - and then straight back again to where it branched out from. But usually I just skip Rosberry Topping - mostly because it is always really busy - but today I can see no little people in the distance either on or going up Roseberry Topping, and with the opportunity of having it to myself, I decided to break from tradition and pay it a little visit.

On the way over, I opt against the main path and instead use a slightly more hazardous track that splits out to the right - but that gives a better photo of Roseberry Topping, and it is looking particularly good today, with the frost making all the routes up stand out against the autumnal around.

Rosberry Topping up ahead

From here, I have to descend down into the dip, and then take the steps up to the top of Rosberry Topping - which continues to be deserted for miles around.

Having made it up to the top, I enjoy the view for a bit, and then it is time to back track and head back - this time going along the official path - to rejoin the main path of the Cleveland Way.

Looking back one more time

At the rejoin, I head left, heading back across Newton Moor, and after a gate, a stretch down the path, a right and a left, I'm heading towards Highcliff Nab, on a path that takes me just to the right of Highcliffe Farm.

Here the path crosses what is normally very wet ground, with flagstones protecting your feet from getting wet, and here I'm able to find some larger chunks of ice, to show just how cold it has been today.

This is a chunk of ice I found

Having past Highcliffe Farm, the path then heads up to a gate, which has a bench for those visiting in summer (it is a bit cold to be stopping today). This is my usual first big break stop of the day.

Looking back over my path - the ground is solid, but here not so frosty

After a left turn at the gate, the path winds round, and then climbs up a set of steps to the top of Highcliff Nab, with views over the large town of Guisborough below. Here the path turns to the right, and heads off through Guisborough Woods - with the next section to be spent walking amongst the trees (although many have been felled recently - extending the views of Guisborough, beyond what would be typical for this section of path).

Coming out the woods on the far side, the views out to the hills beyond to once again open up.

Heading out the woods (have I mentioned it was cold)

Here the path joins up with an extremely minor road, which the path then heads down, before turning right and heading into Spa Woods.

This next section passes through an off-road motorbike track, which does cross over the path - but the sections of join between the path and the track are controlled, and with many years of walking through here I have never even come close to having a problem - mostly because it is very easy to hear these bikes (they really won't pop out from nowhere - nuurrrrr, nurrrrgh, nuurrrr, nurrrrgh).

Having made it past this track, the path drops down, and then turns back on itself, to join up with the A171 near Slapewath.

Here there is a pub to be found just along the road, but the path itself heads over the road, and then turns right, and up around what looks to be a former quarry. 

It is a bit of a climb up this section, and at the top is a bench - but again with it being so cold, the benches just don't seem to be quite so welcoming as usual. So instead of the usual rest at the bench, it is a right turn to head north and on towards Saltburn.

The next section runs along the edge of fields with a right turn to follow the field edge, before bending to head north-east, on a track that turns into a minor road, heading into Skelton.

Skelton has seen a lot of new housing over recent years, and so the route of the path has bounced around a bit to avoid the construction works, and to accommodate the new homes - but it is easy to navigate through and head through the houses, before dropping under the A174, to be release back into less urban terrain.

Here the path follows the edge of a field, before turning right into Crow Wood. Dropping down the hill, the path passes some old mill sites down in a steep valley, through which the Skelton Beck runs. 

Turning back on yourself, the path heads under the high viaduct, that carries the freight trains heading down to Bolby overhead. 

As you head on, the path runs through Saltburn Valley Country Park, and while the official path climbs back up to the road, you are far better just exploring the park and heading through it in whichever route takes your fancy.

This park used to have formal gardens, woodland walks and a miniature railway back in Saltburn's Victorian heyday - and now it has the remains of these with some of the gardens still maintained to a high standard.

 

An older picture of the park (the bridge is no longer in existence)

A popular spot for Victorian holiday makers

Outside of London we don't really develop these parks as sites to attractive visitors, but what remains of the gardens pretty and enjoyable to walk through.

A more modern photo

Once you have made it through the park, you find yourself coming out onto the seafront - and I head out to walk along the seafront. Normally I stop to get fish and chips and spend some time watching the dogs head out to play along the beach, but today it is still quite cold, so I'm ready to head to the station and head home.

While this is a walk I tend to do in winter, it is also a great walk for the summer months and then you can spend more time in Saltburn and even ride the Cliff Lift (it costs just £1.80 and is the oldest water-balanced funicular in the UK so well worth a go). It might not be quite what it was in Victorian times, but it is still a great place to relax and take in the sea air.

A last look at the pier at Saltburn

Enjoyment Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ ★ ★ / 5

Click on the following link to read the writeup for the next section of the Cleveland Way, from Whitby to Saltburn.

Disclaimer: This writeup provides a narrative of what to expect rather than a route guide to follow. The route is covered by the 93 and 94 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.