Cleveland Way: Kildale to Guisborough Woods

Directions

This leg starts off at a triangular road junction with Station Road in the hamlet of Kildale at NZ607093. At the junction, turn left down Station Road, and after passing some cottages on the right, turn right down another road. This descends downhill, curving to the left to pass under a railway bridge at NZ606096, and then crosses a bridge over a stream.

Follow the road to a cattle grid, after which it starts climbing uphill in a rough northerly direction. it passes Bankside Farm on the right and some barns on the left to reach a clapper gate beside a cattle grid. The ascent starts to slacken three-quarters of a mile after the railway bridge. On a right-hand bend at the crest of the hill, turn left to join a gravel track that goes through a gate to enter woodland.

Follow the track westwards; when the track curves to the right after a fifth of a mile, turn left to follow a footpath through the trees. The path passes a stile and continues on as the tip of Captain Cook's Monument becomes visible ahead. After leaving the trees the path climbs steeply up stone steps. Go through a gap in a stone wall and continue uphill across moorland to reach the monument at NZ590101.

At the monument turn right to follow a flagstone path northwards. It descends across the moors and becomes a gravel path that heads downhill through trees. After half a mile it goes through a pedestrian gate beside a field gate to reach Dikes Lane at NZ591110. Turn right for a few yards to pass a car park on the right, and then turn left. Ignore a larger track angling off to the right, and instead take a footpath that heads up steps to the north. When the steps end a more gradual ascent continues, following a fence and then a wall on the left. Continue along this path until a pedestrian gate is reached at NZ587127, 0.9 miles after the road.

Here the trail makes another official diversion to visit the outlying summit of Roseberry Topping which lies half a mile to the west. Go through the pedestrian gate and turn left down some steps. Eventually the gradient slackens; continue on with a wall on the left to reach the base of Roseberry Topping. More steps and a steep zigzagging path lead up to reach the craggy summit at NZ579125. Once there, descend off the hill by the same route and climb the steps back up to reach the pedestrian gate and the main Cleveland Way route.

Three paths radiate out from the gate across the moorland; take the middle path that heads eastwards; do not take the path that runs along the wall on the left or the one beside the trees on the right. This path climbs a slight summit before falling to reach a bridleway gate. Go through this gate to join a track and then turn right along this track. It immediately curves to the left and continues falling with forestry on the left. Go through a vehicle barrier and then turn right along another track to reach a bridleway gate beside a field gate.

Go through this, pass another vehicle barrier and continue uphill. After a couple of hundred yards turn left to join a narrow footpath that heads across the moorland. The path curves to the left and the right as it descends, joining a fence on the left. It crosses a rough, reedy area with flagstones across boggy sections before starting to climb alongside a wall, passing Highcliffe Farm on the left. Go through a bridleway gate through a fence near the farm and continue climbing. The wall and path both curve to the left, aiming for trees ahead. Ignore a gate off to the left, and shortly afterwards turn left through a clapper gate to enter Guisborough Woods near Highcliff Nab at NZ611135.

Places of interest

Transport

Kildale has a station on the Esk Valley Line which runs between Middlesborough and Whitby. See the National Rail website for more information.

Kildale is also served by a couple of buses to Stokesley every day.

There is no public transport serving Guisborough Woods. However the centre of the town of Guisborough lies a mile to the north, from where regular bus services run to Middlesborough and Whitby.

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)