Did you know that the Cleveland Way is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary this year?
In case you don’t know, the Cleveland Way National Trail is a 109 mile trail in the North York Moors National Park. Read more their website.
It got me thinking. I’m more of a day walker rather than big multi-day trail walker. Although I’ve not walked the Cleveland Way in one go, I have in my 13 years living in Yorkshire walked quite a few sections of it.
So I thought I’d have a dig through my old photos of walks with family and friends to share some of my favourite parts.
1. Filey to Scarborough
This was a recent walk with friends on one of the hottest day of the year. I’d never seen the sea such a vibrant blue and so still.
On the coastal sections of trail it’s very easy to catch a local bus back to your start point.
Filey Brigg is the start of the Cleveland Way but if time allows it’s worth a detour down to the beach. When the tide is out you can walk from the beach front and around the bottom of Filey Brigg.
2. Ravenscar to Robin Hood’s Bay
We’re blessed with the most stunning unspoilt coastline, punctuated with idyllic fishing villages.
This is an all time favourite which I’ve done many times.
When you plan your trip check the tide times. I love walking to Robin Hood’s Bay with its iconic red-roofed cottages, along the cliff tops.
You can’t beat fish and chips and ice cream on the beach after a coastal walk.
If you’ve timed it right you can walk back along the beach to Boggle Hole, keeping your eye out for fossils along the way. Then it’s back up to the clifftops to the start.
This Ravenscar to Robin Hood’s Bay walk on the NYM website is similar.
3. Whitby
Who doesn't love the view of Whitby Abbey and the iconic 99 steps?
I've enjoyed the walk south along the Cleveland Way. I particularly liked the view looking back towards Whitby Abbey.
This circular walk around Whitby Abbey, Lighthouse and Saltwick Bay is similar.
4. Runswick to Staithes
Runswick bay is a picture postcard seaside village. The white rendered and thatched rood old coastguard cottage sits beneath the cliff face.
My favourite view on this part of the Cleveland Way was at Port Mulgrave, near the village of Hinderwell. The twists and turns of the path inspired one of my recent linocut prints below.
The inspiration for my Staithes linocut print came from visiting the Staithes Art Festival. The festival runs each September and I’m looking forward to going again this year.
5. Clay Bank, Wainstones and Roseberry Topping
Last summer I spent a long weekend with friends renting a cottage in Ingelby Greenhow. It was the perfect base for the Cleveland Hills and we even had a distant view of Roseberry Topping. Read more in my Inspiration in the North York Moors blog.
The day I loved the most was walking from Clay Bank along the Cleveland Way through the Wainstones and on to Lordstones cafe for lunch.
High up on the Cleveland Hills you can see for miles. What really stood out was how flat the landscape was. It’s a patchwork of fields punctuated by the unmistakable silhouette of Rosebery Topping.
This 'Lordstones walk' is a similar walk on the North York Moors website.
I was so enchanted by Rosebery Topping that I went back the following weekend to do the Roseberry Topping and Capital Cooks Monument walk. I just had to walk to the top. I must say it’s the distant view of it from the Cleveland Way that I still love the most.
6. Osmotherly
Osmotherley and Cleveland Way Walk. This is a circular walk from the village of Osmotherley in the Hambleton Hills in North Yorkshire, at the western edge of the North York Moors. In the distance you can see over to Roseberry Topping. I can really reddened an ice cream back at the Post Office in Osmotherly.
7. Sutton Bank
Sutton Bank is an all time favourite. I often combine walk along Whinestone Cliff down to and around Gormire Lake. I’ve also fond memories of summer solstice and bilberry picking on Sutton Bank with friends.
This is a similar walk 'Sutton Bank and White Horse walk' could be started at the parking under the White Horse or at the Sutton Bank National Park Centre.
Of course no trip to Sutton Bank is complete without a view of the Kilburn White Horse.
8. Helmsley Castle to Rievaulx Abbey
The historic walk from Helmsley Castle to Rievaulx Abbey takes in magnificent woodland and stunning views from the top of Jinny York Bank. See details of the Helmsley and Rievaulx walk on the North York Moors website.
I can’t find my photos of this walk, So instead these are a few of my favourite thins to do in Hemsley.
Lunch at the Vine House Cafe at Helmsley Walled Garden. I dream of having a walled garden and a Victorian vine house!
An outdoor swim at Helmsley Open Air Pool Helmsley Open Air Pool can’t be beaten on a sunny day too.
My full collection of linocut prints can be seen on the printmaking page of my website. Limited edition prints are available to buy in my online shop.
I'll keep updating this blog as I create new designs on the inspiration I've gathered on the Cleveland Way.
Do you have a favourite place or view along the Cleveland Way that you would like to see as a linocut print? I’d love to know.
Get in touch at michellehughesdesign@outlook.com
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About the author
Michelle Hughes is a North Yorkshire landscape artist. Much of her work depicts the Yorkshire landscape and Yorkshire coast, including the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors.
Michelle loves exploring the British countryside by bike or on foot, camera in hand, capturing ideas for her next linocut prints. Back in her garden studio, Michelle creates simple but stylised silhouettes based on her photographs, and hand carves these shapes into lino. She hand prints with an etching press, using oil-based inks to create tonal blocks of colour.
Michelle’s original linocut prints are limited editions.