The Handbag Walkers Guide to the Cleveland Way

Last year, we did the Ribbon Walk. It was challenging, but it made us get out and walk, even when we didn’t really feel like it, as we had to ‘train’ (I remember how I scoffed at the very idea at the start), but we did it. And we’ve managed to keep going since, though not with quite the same level of intensity. Winter isn’t the best of time to walk as it is a) cold, b) tends to be muddy (or, this year, snowy), and c) gets dark early, but we’ve still been out there.

This year, our project is to walk The Cleveland Way. All of it, all 110 miles. Not all in one go, of course, but over the year. We’ve done a lot of bits of it, but this time we want to complete it. We probably won’t do it in the right order, and there may be quite a few logistical difficulties, but that’s the plan.

As it’s a linear walk, we’ve already realised that it’s going to take a bit of organisation, for example, we have to leave a car at each end of the section, so we have to decide how far we can walk in a day. It’s not a good idea to get stuck in the middle, as there’s not a lot of public transport to be had. There’s also other minor issues, like making sure you have the right equipment in the right car, i.e. don’t leave your camera, your map, or your socks in the car at the end.

We did our first section on Sunday. Helmsley to Rievaulx. We were going to go further, but it was a bit rainy, and the path was very muddy, (and we’d forgotten the book). It’s a walk we’ve done numerous times, though usually there and back, so it actually seemed quite short. There’s a good tea shop at Rievaulx Abbey which does an excellent, and filling, bowl of hearty soup.

Of course this is going to be the alternative guide, with recommendations of all the best places to stop for refreshment along the route. Though, looking at the map, there are one or two sections where we may have to *gasp* take sandwiches. There will also be shopping. We finished on Sunday with a walk round Helmsley, J bought a lovely pair of boots.

It’s started well.