The Cleveland Way National Trail is a 109 mile long distance walk long through North York Moors National park, and along the Yorkshire coast.
The Cleveland Way National Trail
Starting in Helmsley the Cleveland Way follows a horseshoe-shaped route heading north through the Cleveland Hills to the Yorkshire coast at Saltburn. From Saltburn it hugs the coastline south to Filey.
Most people take nine days to walk the 109 miles; however the record for the route is a mere 21 hours and 3 minutes.
Highlights on the Cleveland Way National Trail
Traversing both the Yorkshire moors and coast, the Cleveland Way National Trail passes through a diverse range of landscapes and visits many historical attractions:
- Rievaulx Abbey. Only a few miles from the start of the Cleveland way it is possible to visit the ruins of Rievaulx Abbey. Now in the care of English Heritage the Cistercian monastery was once an important place of worship.
- Captain Cook's Monument. High on the Cleveland moorland the 51-foot obelisk dedicated to James Cook, one of Yorkshire's most famous sons, is inscribed "Celebrated circumnavigator Capt James Cook FRS. A man in nautical knowledge inferior to none, in zeal, prudence and energy superior to most."
- Roseberry Topping. Known as the Yorkshire Mattterhorn, Roseberry Topping has a cap of rock harder than the rest of the surrounding rock, thus the distinctive shape. The southwest face of the hill slid away in 1907 due to iron mining subsidence. Roseberry Topping, at 1,057 feet one of the highest hills in the area, and has panoramic views out to the Yorkshire coast.
- The North York Moors National Park. A stunning tract of moorland, the North York Moors is particularly attractive to visit in late August or September when the heather is in bloom.
- Staithes. Once home to James Cook, the small fishing village of Staithes is an attractive place to visit, with its small natural harbour bounded by steep cliffs.
- Whitby. The largest town that the route of the Cleveland Way National Trail passes through, Whitby, a thriving seaside town, has lots of points of interest for the visitor. Part of Bram Stoker's famous novel was set in Whitby, and the town has a Dracula museum. The ruins of the Whitby Abbey, dominating the east cliff above the town, are another popular attraction.
- Robin Hoods Bay. A picturesque village, Robin Hood's Bay, with a famous history of smugglers, is also the finish of another long distance walk, Alfred Wainwright's coast to coast.
- Fossils and dinosaur footprints. The stretch of coastline that the Cleveland Way follows is well known for the numbers of fossils to be found. There are even fossilized dinosaur footprints to be seen.
Walking the Long Distance Trails of Britain
Other long distance walks in England include: the Hadrian's Wall Path coast to coast across the Scottish Boarders, Wainwright's Coast to Coast from Cumbria to Yorkshire through three national parks, and the Pennine Way 268 miles along the spine of England.
Jane Hodgson - physiobench.com/physios/2/Jane-Hodgson I'm co owner of Physiobench, a web based physiotherapy (physical therapy) practice. We're ...
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