Paddy Dillon - The Cleveland Way and the Yorkshire Wolds Way: With the Tabular Hills Walk

The abrupt rocky western edge of the Cleveland Hills overlooks the lowland plains (Cleveland Way, Day 3)

As a young teenager I pitched my tent for a week near Whitby, safely within sight of the chalet my parents had rented. One evening a man dropped his heavy pack to the ground beside my tent, and I watched in fascination as he sorted out his gear for the night. By the time I woke in the morning he was long gone. He was one of the first Cleveland Way walkers, and I dont know who he was or where he might be now, but I do remember wanting to follow him and see where that long trail went. My parents took me along the cliff path as far as Robin Hoods Bay, but the rest of the route remained a mystery to me for many years.

Eventually I got my chance to walk the Cleveland Way, and I have covered parts of the route many times since. I later walked the Wolds Way (recently renamed the Yorkshire Wolds Way), and the Tabular Hills Walk came last of all. I have now had the opportunity to walk all three routes afresh while researching this guidebook.

Each of the three routes is described in the guide, and walkers can complete them separately or link all three trails end-to-end in a long-distance walk of over 400km (250 miles). The whole distance could be completed comfortably within three weeks, even allowing for outward travel and return home. Together the three trails open up a wonderfully rich and varied landscape of cultivated countryside, intricate networks of dales, wild heather moorlands and dramatic cliff coastline, peppered with dozens of interesting little towns and villages.

The Yorkshire Wolds Way is usually walked from south to north, and extends over 130km (80 miles) from Hessle, near Hull on the Humber Estuary, to Filey. It traverses the Yorkshire Wolds, passing the villages of Welton, Brantingham, South Cave, North Newbald, Goodmanham, Londesborough and Nunburnholme. The central parts of the Wolds are sparsely settled, but the route includes Millington, Huggate, Fridaythorpe, Thixendale, Wharram-le-Street and Wintringham. The northern stretch of the route stays high on the Wolds, but passes Sherburn, Ganton and Muston on the way to Filey. For the sake of a days march, walkers can continue along the coast to Scarborough and Scalby Mills to join the Tabular Hills Walk.

The jagged outcrops of the Wain Stones rise in contrast to the gently rolling moors (Cleveland Way, Day 3)

The Tabular Hills Walk takes in the gentle, forested or cultivated southern parts of the North York Moors National Park between Scalby Mills, near Scarborough, and Helmsley, far inland. The route measures 80km (50 miles) and wanders through sparsely settled countryside between Scalby and Levisham, then includes the villages of Newton-on-Rawcliffe, Cropton, Appleton-le-Moors, Hutton-le-Hole, Gillamoor, Fadmoor and Carlton. When the Link reaches the bustling market town of Helmsley, walkers can pick up the Cleveland Way and continue along this route back to Filey.

The Cleveland Way essentially wraps itself round the North York Moors National Park, covering 177km (110 miles). It traverses the high, western moors and hills at first, where villages are few and far between, passing Rievaulx, Cold Kirby, Sutton Bank, Osmotherley, Carlton Bank, Clay Bank, Kildale, Slapewath and Skelton to reach the coast at Saltburn. From that point the route follows the coast and passes a variety of seaside towns and villages. These include Skinningrove, Staithes, Runswick Bay, Kettleness and Sandsend. The busy resort of Whitby is followed by Robin Hoods Bay, Ravenscar and the big, brash resort of Scarborough. All that remains is a days walk from Scarborough to Filey to bring the Cleveland Way to a close.