Cleveland Way: Carlton Bank to Bloworth Crossing

Directions

This leg starts off on the trail immediately to the north of the car park and Lord Stone's Cafe at NZ524030.

Follow the path eastwards for a short distance, with the car park and cafe away on the right. When the path forks three ways, take the right-most branch and follow a fence on the right. Soon another fork is reached; take the right-hand branch to follow a stone wall on the left uphill. Go through a bridleway gate and follow stone flags uphill. It passes a little stone wind-shelter and viewpoint and curves sharply to the right to continue climbing towards the top of the hill. The path descends steeply down the eastern side of the hill, and at the bottom reaches a little bealach at NZ545033.

The path crosses a boggy area before starting to climb once more. When the path forks, take the right-hand branch; this curves to the right to reach a field gate. On the other side the path joins a stone wall on the left that soon curves sharply to the left. Follow the wall uphill to reach a clapper gate beside a field gate. The path climbs steeply uphill to reach a summit, and then drops equally steeply down the other side. It passes through a pedestrian gate and continues falling to reach Garfit Gap at NZ555034.

Go through a field gate at the bottom and climb up to a clapper gate. Steps then lead up towards a rocky outcrop called the Wain Stones ahead. Care needs to be taken at the top; climbers have created several paths around the flanks of the hill that can cause confusion. The path passes the first outcrop on the right and then curves to the left towards the main mass of rocks. Turn slightly to the right to head through the rocks to reach the top, where a good path continues climbing gently to the east. This path reaches the summit and then curves to the right to head southeastwards. Initially it gently falls, before turning to the left to zigzag steeply down the hillside eastwards. Squeeze beside a fence to reach a clapper gate, and then follow a wall downhill. A series of steps then leads to the B1257 Clay Bank Road at NZ572032.

Carefully cross the road and take a stone path that leads through a gap in a low stone wall. The path follows a fence on the left for about ten yards to a bridleway gate. On the other side follow a stone wall on the left to a second bridleway gate. Go through this and continue uphill as the path slowly curves to take a more southeasterly course to reach pedestrian gate beside a bench. On the other side of the gate continue uphill; the gradient slackens until it reaches a small summit on the Carr Ridge. One and a half miles after the road at NZ586018, the path joins a track and curves slightly to the left to take a east-southeasterly course.

The track continues climbing for a third of a mile as it passes close to the trig pillar on Round Hill on the left (marking the highest point on the North Yorkshire Moors); shortly afterwards it curves to the left to take a more easterly course and starts gently falling. At NZ609016 the track curves sharply to the left; here head straight on along a path that descends eastwards to reach some boggy ground and then a small stream. Cross the stream and climb up the other side for about a hundred yards until it reaches a track. Turn right to follow this track east-southeastwards for a quarter of a mile, passing a vehicle barrier to reach Bloworth Crossing at NZ615014.

Places of interest

Transport

The Lord Stones car park on Raisdale Road is not served by public transport. The village of Carlton in Cleveland, a mile and a half to the northwest, does have infrequent services to Romanby and Leeming.

Likewise, there is no public transport access at Bloworth Crossing.

For more public transport information, see the Travelline website.

Map information

Landranger (1:50,000)				Outdoor Leisure (1:25,000)
Landranger 93 (Middlesbrough, Darlington & Hartlepool)	and	Landranger 94 (Whitby & Esk Dale, Robin Hood's Bay)	or	Outdoor Leisure 26 (North York Moors - Western Area)