Directions
This leg starts off at a clapper gate that leads from Gisborough Moor into Guisborough Woods near Highcliff Nab at NZ611135.
Follow the path as it skirts just inside the western edge of the woodland. The path curves to the right away from the wall for a short distance to meet a track. Turn left along the track for a few yards, and then right along another path that climbs up to reach the summit of Highcliff Nab. Follow the path as it curves to the right at the top and climbs slightly for a couple of hundred yards to join a track. Turn left to follow this track eastwards as it slowly falls. Ignore a track leading off to the right, and instead follow the main track as it curves down to the left to join another track at NZ619141.
Continue northeastwards along this track; when it curves to the right, turn left to continue straight on along a path through the forest. This path climbs uphill and then curves to the right; do not continue straight on downhill. It then curves to the left, still climbing to join another track. Continue along this track; as it soon curves to the right continue straight on along another path that curves to the right. As the path forks, take the lesser left-hand branch.
When it forks again, take the lesser right-hand branch that climbs uphill to join a bigger path. Turn left down this and follow it as it descends. When it meets another track, turn left and follow it alongside a fence on the right and trees on the left. After a while the path curves to the right up a few steps to reach a pedestrian gate. Go through this and follow it as it immediately curves to the left. The path descends to cross a stream and climbs up the other side. Follow a fence on the right to reach a clapper gate that leads out onto a track at NZ639154.
Turn left to follow this track as it plunges steeply downhill. Just before a tarmac track is joined at the bottom, turn right through a clapper gate to enter woodland. The path runs between fences; when the fence on the left ends, continue following the fence on the right as it curves to the right. The path climbs uphill; go through a squeeze-stile as the path continues climbing. Go through a second field stile, following a fence on the left to reach a track. Turn right up this track for about five yards and then left through a third squeeze stile, after which the path continues between fences.
Go through a fourth squeeze stile and follow the path as it curves half-left across an area of tracks to reach a fifth squeeze stile. On the other side the path continues between fences. A sixth and seventh squeeze stile guard a track coming down the hillside, and the path continues beyond these without fences. When another path is reached, turn left downhill to reach a clapper gate beside a field gate and then turn left along a track that parallels the A171 main road. It passes a little picnic area on the right and then joins the A171 at NZ642157.
Carefully cross the A171 to reach the pavement on the northern side of the road, and start following the road westwards, passing the Fox and Hounds pub away to the right (this is the first pub on the trail since Osmotherley, about 30 miles away). Take the first road to the right and then immediately turn left along an access road. When the road soon ends next to a house, go through a squeeze stile to join a path with a fence on the right; this leads to a second squeeze stile. Immediately afterwards the path curves to the right to join another path, passing a disused quarry on the left.
The path climbs steps uphill and curves to the left to reach a third squeeze stile. The path continues up more steps that take it above the quarry to reach a fourth squeeze stile. More steps lead to a fifth squeeze stile and some benches. Here the path curves to the right to follow a fence on the right; the gradient slackens as the path heads north with woodland to the left. The path goes through another squeeze stile and turns right to head uphill with a hedge on the right. It goes through a gap in a stone wall and continues on with a wall on the right to join the end of a track in the corner of a field at NZ642164.
Turn left and follow this track as it heads northeast, passing Airy Hill Farm on the right. The track slowly becomes better quality as it heads on, passing under some power lines and then houses on the left. The track ends at a road junction in Skelton Green after 1.4 miles at NZ656181. Turn right to follow a road north through the village; it passes the Green Inn on the right before ending at a T-junction with Boosbeck Road at NZ656183.
Cross the road and go through a clapper gate to join a surfaced path that runs between fences. The path crosses another path and continues on to another clapper gate. The path squeezes past the end of a hedge and runs downhill between hedges before curving to the right and descending to reach Swilly Lane in Skelton. Turn right down Swilly Lane for a few yards before taking a path that leads off to the left, heading steeply down steps. The path joins a road on the left and follows this for a few yards to reach the High Street at NZ658188.
Carefully cross the road, and on the other side head down Coniston Road. Pass the library on the right and then turn right down Derwent Road. This soon curves to the left and continues downhill. When it ends at a T-junction with Windermere Drive, cross the road and continue on, still following Derwent Road. This curves to the left and then the right; when it ends squeeze through a gap in a hedge to enter some scrubland. The path curves to the left to head north across the scrubland; it passes through a gap in a hedge to enter another field. Cross this to reach Bowland Road.
Cross Bowland Road and head straight on along a gravel path between houses. The path curves to the right to enter woods, following a fence on the right. It passes under a large road bridge carrying the A174 road overhead. On the other side the path opens out into a field on the left; at the end of the field it curves to the left and then the right past a fence to enter woodland. The path heads downhill, initially along a slope and then steps. It curves to the right and follows a river on the left to reach a footbridge over the river at NZ660201, with a railway viaduct high overhead.
Cross the footbridge and follow the path on the other side as it heads under the arches of the viaduct. The path then curves to the left up a track, and then right to enter Saltburn Valley Gardens. When the track forks, take the right-hand branch which heads downhill. When this meets a surfaced road continue straight on up a slight slope. At a little picnic area, turn left up a surfaced path. When this curves to the right, turn left up steps to reach Albion Terrace in Saltburn. Turn right to follow this road north; it soon swings to the right and becomes Glenside. Continue along this road until it ends at a T-junction; here turn right to head straight on. When the road forks, take the right-hand branch that heads down a zigzag to reach the seafront in Saltburn at NZ667216. Care needs taking on the zigzag as the pavements are narrow.
Kildale to Guisborough Woods
Saltburn to Staithes
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