Esk Valley Walk - Commondale to Whitby (★★★★☆)

The Esk Valley Walk is a minor trail that follows the pretty Esk Valley through the North Yorkshire Moors and one of the appeals of this walk is it's easy to access and walk. 

The route travels along the same valley as the Esk Valley Railway line, which is a rural train service with frequent stops on it's journey from Middlesbrough to Whitby, although only limited services running throughout the day.

This makes this route perfect for an out and back walk (so long as you plan currently around the train timetable) - making use of the train to start and stop wherever you desire along the way.

The Esk Valley Walk itself runs for 37 miles, and is composed of a loop up to the source of the Esk through the more rugged parts of the North Yorkshire Moors (out and back from Castleton), along with a longer and straighter stretch that runs from Castleton to Whitby.

My route today will include the entirety of the long stretch running from Castleton to Whitby, but also an additional segment from Commondale to Castleton. 

Commondale is a pretty village in the Moors that is known to cyclists as the home of a few rather impressive hills, and to others for it's relaxed and rural charm. But the village also has a rather interesting station, which was a later arrival to the line - and so whilst most of the stations along the Esk Valley Railway are more substantial affairs, this one is quite a tiny little station that feeds you directly out into the nearby fields.

This route through the fields is ideal really, because this releases me exactly at my intended start point - and as I exit out of the field that provides the primary access to this station, I turn right and head out along a cycle route that heads round to Castleton.

Part of the intent of this additional section heading from Commondale round to Castleton is to explore this extended section up to Commondale (it is a pretty village after all), but also to assess the quality of this cycle route - as cycle routes in the UK can vary from perfect tarmac to muddy ditches. This one sits in the middle with a generally good surface, but mixed up with some rougher going sections - and so probably isn't an option for me on my road bike with no suspension.

But alongside being a cycle trail, this route out of Commondale turns out to also be a very pretty route to walk along - particularly at this time of year with all the autumnal colour.

Heading out from Commondale

Trees and Moors

This stretch follows a winding path that meanders above the river below, with great views out across the Moors to the south. And indeed these are the valleys that we will return to when we complete the other half of the Esk Valley Walk.

As we continue on, we pass small clusters of houses that lie along this track/road/path, before we start to climb up, as we prepare to join up with the road near Castleton.

Looking out over the area we will walk when we finish the Esk Valley Walk

The road along here has featured in the Tour of Britain cycling events in recent years (men's and women's editions), and has taken a slightly more adventurous route over the top of the Moors to us. Fortunately here our path heads down rather than up, and only follows this road for a tiny stretch, before we turn left past a small collection of houses that overlook Castleton.

From here we continue on along the valley above the river, looking out across the landscape below.

Looking out across the Esk Valley just past Castleton

Through the trees

This stretch is a particular favorite of mine - and it is a delightful walk through Danby Park and then on across the fields, before we drop down and briefly join up with the road.

Before long we turn right, off this road, onto a footpath that is mercifully dry today (but which can be waterlogged at times), and this path cuts up and into Danby village itself (if it is too waterlogged it may be best just to follow the road round into Danby as it is not that far going round - although it adds a bit of an up). 

On my phone the Esk Valley Walk heads down across the river and then back up through the North York Moors visitor centre at Danby, whilst my map continues on along this side of the valley. But since I don't like change, and since I have done the map route before, I stick to the map and the route I know - heading on along a fairly quiet road, before we turn left to head up a steep minor road, that climbs up towards Danby Beacon.

Once again, this stretch has been used in the Tour of Britain cycling races, and it is a steep climb up to the top where the Esk Valley Walk takes a left turn in the road, but where I divert off from the official route, and stick to the road that tracks the front of the valley edge.

The official route heads past Danby Beacon - and the beacon is a nice spot to visit - but I find the walking to be significantly better along the road at the front. Here the road is exceptionally quiet as it really does go from nowhere to nowhere - and most cars are just pottering along at 5mph, enjoying the views. The only more exciting passerby was a bin lorry, which is getting a rather scenic route up through the hills, whilst the other bin men in the country get stuck loading bin after bin on their way through a suburban housing estate.

Looking out across the Esk Valley

Lots of fertile farmland backed by hills

The stretch along this very minor road lasts for some time - and indeed it is about an hour's walking to get from Danby to Lealhom along this ridge, but the views keep coming throughout the whole section along this ridge.

Views

...more views

...and even more views

Eventually our time along this ridge starts to come to an end as we pick up the official route of the Esk Valley Walk, which joins up with us from the left hand side, on a bend in the road.

From here we, and the Esk Valley Walk, start to cut down the ridge to join up with a slightly bigger road that cuts down from the A171 (to the north) that takes us on down into Lealholm.

Passing a cow on our way down

This involves a steep descent on a winding route, that eventually releases us in Lealholm, where we head over the railway and through the village, before turning left and heading out along a farm drive.

This drive takes us along the base of the Esk Valley to Underpark Farm, which we head through and then out along the banks of the River Esk, as we head through the fields on the far side.

After that we meet up with the railway once again as we continue on along the base of the valley - heading over the River Esk via a footbridge, and then climbing up into Thorneywaite.

It used to be the case that you would next head on through someone's garden, but more lately sense has prevailed and now the path continues on along the road through past the end of the cluster of houses, and then turns left to drop down through the fields, to once again follow the river.

Here we head through the woods, and past the old mill (now a home), on the way to Glaisdale.

Through the woods by the river

At Glaisdale we meet up with the Coast to Coast path, which comes into Glaisdale via Glaisdale Rigg. Glaisdale Rigg also joins us up with numerous walks out across the Moors, and I have also used Glaisdale Rigg as a starting point for a walk that heads out to explore the old railway lines and mines at Rosedale (walking from Glaisdale to Battersby).

Having met up with the Coast to Coast route, we continue on through Glaisdale, and after a small diversion to go see Beggar's Bridge, we continue on alongside the River Esk.

Beggar's Bridge

This bridge dates back to 1619 and the legend is that it was built by Thomas Ferris - the son of a local moorland sheep farmer.

Legend has it that he fell in love with Agnes Richardson, who was daughter of the local squire, but her father disapproved of the relationship as Thomas was only a poor sheep farmer - and so he used to wade the river here to meet Agnes in secret.

But not content with this state of affairs, Thomas sought his fortune at sea, but on his day of departure could not cross the river due to the river's flood. Angry at not getting the chance to say goodbye to his sweetheart, he swore to build a bridge at this spot on his return - and returned wealth to build this bridge, at this spot.

Whilst this story is almost certainly a load of rubbish, it is pretty bridge, and the going continues to be pretty as we continue to head on up the river.

The River Esk just past Glaisdale

This section of path always used to be fairly problematic and water logged, but now the Coast to Coast is becoming a National Trail (set to launch in 2026 I believe), the path here has been substantially improved, and now should not have the same issues. Hurrah for National Trails!

And indeed this is a lovely stretch to continue along through the woods, following a chain of worn stones that make up the core of the path.

Following the stones

Eventually the path breaks out of these woods on a very minor road that heads up onto the Moors. But instead of climbing up that road, here we turn left and head down into the village of Egton Bridge, where we head to the stepping stones to cross over the river.

A bridge over the river (private)

Stepping Stones over the river

You need longer legs than me to take the stones in stride (ideal would be about 5'10 I think), but Stepping Stones are always a fun way to cross a river, and soon we are over the other side.

On the far side, there is a lovely spot to stop at if you turn left, where you can also sometimes see some jumping fish, but here we turn right and head on through Egton Bridge - and out past Egton Manor, as we continue to follow the river's course.

This marks the start of a slightly less exciting section as we follow a track that carries us the mile or so to Grosmont, but instead of heading into Grosmont our onward path bears left, keeping to the left side of the river.

If you have additional time (probably more likely in summer than in this autumnal weather), it is worth a wander into Grosmont - or better still to return for a proper explore, as there are nice walks following the North Yorkshire Moors Railway line. 

Indeed I have a write-up of a walk from Grosmont to Goathland and back (including a final stretch back up along this path to Lealholm, which involves a fair bit of train spotting along the way. The major highlight of that part of the Moors are the old steam engines that run up and down the line - with the Flying Scotsman in residence on the line today as I am passing. But equally, Goathland is exceptionally pretty in autumn, and a favored spot of mine to visit at this time of year.

But continuing on with today's walk, we head on past Grosmont Farm and then Fotherleys Farm, climbing up onto the ridge on the left of the river once more - before heading on past the very nicely finished buildings at Newbiggin Hall.

Horses at Newbiggin Hall

From here the countryside switches from typical Moors country to more of a 'Rural England' feel, heading through a more open mixture of farmland, trees and fields - with the country starting to ever-so-slightly flatten out and tame itself, ahead of our arrival at the seaside.

This change of scenery continues on as we head on along this ridge, and we soon find ourselves coming up to the edge of the twin towns of Briggswath and Sleights.

The edge of Sleights in the distance

On our run into Briggswath we pass by some very fancy looking houses, before we meet up and cross over a fairly busy road that runs through town. 

With this crossed, we walk slightly further through Briggswath, before we reach a footbridge that takes us across the river to Sleights - where we head over the railway line and then cut through the edge of Sleights, before climbing up onto the ridge on the right hand side of the river.

From here we are mostly heading through open fields - and on our way to Hagg House, our first sight of Whitby Abbey comes into view.

Whitby Abbey on the ridge in the distance

From Hagg House we cut down and cross over the railway line, before following the railway to just before Ruswarp, where we once again cross the railway, before heading into town.

The railway bridge at Ruswarp

On this side of the river Ruswarp looks fairly industrial, but having crossed over the bridge of the river, the town itself has plenty of charm to it.

Just after the river crossing and just before the train station we pass a path that runs alongside the railway line from here to Whitby (which passes under the viaduct that used to carry trains on down to Scarborough to the south).

That alternate route to Whitby is very popular and offers a very nice alternate route into Whitby, but the Esk Valley Walk itself heads up through Ruswarp, before turning right just past the butcher's to make it's way towards Whitby on the left hand side of the railway. From here we wind on through woods and cross both an old railway cut down to the current route of the railway and the path of the Cinder Trail (which heads over the viaduct towards Scarborough).

On our way into Whitby now

A deer having a munch on some grass

The walk along the Cinder Trail between Scarborough and Whitby is in my mind not as nice as the route along the coast - but still a lovely history filled walk out, and you can read the write-up of one of my walk's along Cinder Trail from Scarborough to Whitby here.

Having crossed over the Cinder Trail, the path cuts through the grounds of a school, and then joins up with the main road. Here we cross this road and continue on, dropping down the hill into Whitby.

Having made it down the hill, the path crosses over the railway and spits us out at Whitby Harbor - and here I have a walk along the harbor edge, before heading off to get some fish and chips - before returning to settle down on a bench by the water's edge.

Looking out towards the sea

Looking across the river

While our journey comes to a close here, should you wish to head further on, there are two wonderful walks along the coast - one heading from Whitby to Saltburn heading south along the coast and another heading along the coast between Scarborough and Whitby (one of the best coast walks in England in my opinion).

But instead, I stop off here to finish my fish and chips, and then head on round to the train station, ready to take my train home.

Enjoyment Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ★ / 5

Disclaimer: This writeup provides a narrative of what to expect rather than a route guide to follow. The route is covered by the 94 OS Landranger map (links redirect to Amazon). The route is in general well way-marked.