My Walking Journeys

The Cleveland Way: Clay Bank to Kildale.

Hello and welcome back to my blog 😊.

Today, Angela and I enjoyed another leg on the inland section of the Cleveland Way, walking 10-miles from Clay Bank to Kildale. You may recall that after the last section we were very tired. So, we took a rest day and I gave my knees a rest!

Today was mainly a blue sky day, but the downside was it was a tad cold in the wind, particularly at height.

I parked my car at Kildale railway station and then Angela drove us to Clay Bank to resume where we finished a couple of days ago. There was a good information board at the small railway station (which lies on the popular Esk Valley Railway Line) plus free toilets!

Information board about Kildale, located in the North York Moors National Park, highlighting its history, population, and attractions such as St Cuthbert's Church and the River Leven.

After parking the car it was an ascent up to Urra Moor and the high point of Round Hill.

A wooden signpost with directional arrows in a grassy landscape, overlooking a valley with rolling hills and trees.
Signs ascending to Urra Moor
A hiker in a purple jacket stands on a trail surrounded by heather-covered hills and a clear blue sky.
On Urra Moor

Looking back we could see the Cleveland Hills that we had traversed on the last leg.

A winding dirt path through heather and grasslands, with a panoramic view of rolling hills and a blue sky with scattered clouds.
Looking back to the Cleveland Hills

Along the moor the track was sandy and the views extensive- we occasionally frightened the poor Grouse that were hiding in the heather.

A sandy path winding through a landscape of tall grass and heather under a blue sky with wispy clouds.
On the Moor

Along the Moor there were numerous prominent boundary stones.

A stone marker stands alone in a brown heather-covered landscape under a clear blue sky.
A typical boundary stone

Soon we arrived at Bloworth Crossing where the Coast to Coast Path departs from the Cleveland Way and heads to its finishing point at Robin Hood Bay.

A person in a red jacket stands next to a wooden signpost with multiple directional arrows indicating walking paths, including the Cleveland Way and Coast to Coast Path, set against a blue sky and grassy background.
At Bloworth Crossing

Continuing along, enjoying the views, we passed another couple of standing stones

A hiker in a purple jacket stands beside two stone markers on a dirt path, with blue skies and grassland in the background.

Middlesborough could be seen in the distance as well as Roseberry Topping and Captain Cooks Monument – we would visit these on the final leg. We also caught a glimpse of the North Sea.

A person walking along a dirt path on a hillside, overlooking a vast green landscape and blue sky.

The track turned into a tarmac road which would lead us back downhill into Kildale.

A person standing on a wide, winding road surrounded by open moorland and under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Along the road we saw a memorial plaque to a RAF crew who had crashed nearby in 1941 – they survived the crash but sadly died of exposure on the moor because it took 2 days to discover the plane.

A commemorative stone memorial with an attached plaque, set against a backdrop of hills and blue skies. The plaque details the tragic crash of a Hudson aircraft in January 1941 and honours the crew members who did not survive.

We had an easy road walk into Kildale and the end of todays leg. The weather forecast for tomorrow is grim and because it’s a 15-mile walk to the finish at Saltburn we have decided to complete the walk next spring. We want to enjoy the walk and its sights – 15-miles in heavy rain is not why we walk, it would be a slog. So, for now we will leave the scenic North York Moors and look forward to returning next spring.

Happy Walking! 😊🚶

oldblokewalking

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