Cleveland Way - any advice ?

[Jenkibuble]

I am due to do this next month . I have accommodation booked and doing it over 9 days.

Anyone got any tips ?

This will be my 5th trek (done West Highland Way, Great Glen Way, Yorkshire Wolds Way and Peddars Way )

TIA

There is a fantastic cafe at High Paradise Farm, a few miles from Sutton Bank on the Cleveland Way.

That’s all I’ve got.

Thanks - I spotted this and will deffo be a stop off for my morning coffee after 1st night.
Hoping it cools down a bit:)

I did the Cleveland Way last year, but in day trips rather than in one go. I also did it in 9 days. I started at Filey because I had done the Wolds Way earlier in the year and just carried on from where I left off on Filey Brigg.

It's not a difficult walk - quite a bit of ascent and descent along the coast and over the moorland bits between Kildale and Osmotherley but seeing as it sounds like you've got plenty of experience it won't be too taxing. I did the whole thing in trainers because it had been so dry. It's quite busy with other walkers along the coast and also on the bit where it shares the path with the Coast to Coast.

At Runswick bay check the tide times as you have to walk along the beach for a bit (no other way round) but that's impassable when the tide is in.

It's incredibly well signposted, to the extent that you could almost do it without a map (although I would never recommend that!). The only bit where I got slightly lost was in Guisborough Woods.

There isn't much in the way of facilities between Osmotherley and the coast although there is a good cafe at the Lordstones campsite. Agree with the tip about High Paradise Farm. There is a good ice cream shop just next to the start at Helmsley.

I'm jealous typing this, hope you enjoy it!

Don’t drive up Sutton Bank is mine 🤣

Thank you for your tips.

Yes, I have got the hiking bug !

I find it so therapeutic / cleansing and more appreciative of the small things - it has improved my resilience too.

Hope you enjoyed the YWW .

Sorry to hijack your thread @Jenkibublebut how did you get into it? I’m keen to start and am relatively fit but confused about finding routes etc

Hi -no need to apologise

I go next Wednesday.

I have organised my trip myself, but there are companies that do the whole lot for you (at a cost of course !)

I am staying in an Air B n B on the Wednesday and then start walking on the Thurs.

I am camping 3 nights, hostelling one night and then B and Bs on the coast section.

I am also using a luggage service this time (as will have camping gear with me)

This is the 9 day route I am doing -
Helmsley- Sutton Bank
Sutton Bank - Osmotherly
Osmotherly-Clay Bank
Clay Bank-Kildale
Kildale - Saltburn
Saltburn - Sandsend
Sandsend- Robin Hood Bay
Robin Hood Bay - Scarborough
Scarborough-Filey

The National Trails website is great.

Will feedback to you afterwards

Thank you will have a look at that website . It’s a lovely route ! There is a fantastic deli in Helmsley called hunters for stocking up on food

Good luck OP!

I too have caught the bug. I've done the South and North Downs Ways, I'm doing the Cotswold Way in three weeks' time, Cumbria Way in September, and planning WHW & Offa's Dyke next year. I love it.

How were they ?

The WHW is just stunning.

Avoid midge season - I did it in October and the autumn colours were lovely.

I made some lovely friends who I did the Great Glen Way with too.

SDW - lovely. Quite hilly, but it's mostly chalk downs, so generally easy underfoot. Kestrels, butterflies, wildflowers.

NDW - also very pretty, but rather plagued by traffic noise, as you might expect in SE England. A lot of cows.

My top tip for anyone planning a long walk would be to buy the Traiblazers guide if there is one - it's like a little friend, with a hand drawn map that has useful comments for every stage of the way. Cicerone guides are not as fun to use and not so useful IMO, because they rely on long passages of text.

Sorry to hijack but I am interested in how easy you found it to arrange accommodation on YWW.

DH and I did the start of it over three days last year - about 30 miles ( we can't manage much more than 10 miles a day). The plan was to go back and do the rest some other time but it does seem hard on the later stages to find places to stay.

I camped the entire YWW as I couldn’t find accommodation that was on the route !
My budget was also rather tight too!

SO , I returned yesterday and loved it !
The contrast of moors and coast was great .
I had one day of relentless rain and camped that night too (tried to phone around for alternative accommodation but alas nothing )
I could have combined some stretches and done it in 8 days i think .
Buses cover the coast section well so I did 2 nights b and b in Saltburn and then 2 nights in Scarborough .
Using a luggage service made it more enjoyable - especially the high bits of the moors as it was windy .

At the end I got the train from
filey back to Scarborough where the bus goes back to Helmsley .
Long stay parking in Helmsley .
Met lots of friendly people on the way and never felt at risk being in my own (female )
I told a friend each day where I was walking etc and checked in with her when I had arrived .
Also , ensured I had a battery pack for using with my phone .
It was a therapeutic break .
Planning the next one already !!!!!