Parking
Start at Cloughton Station on Station Lane, off the A171. Follow the access opposite the station building to the old railway line.
Overview
About Cloughton and Hayburn Wyke
A closed loop of 5 miles / 8 km, taking about 3 hours at a steady pace. Moderate, roughly 5/10, with undulating coastal walking and one steep, rough set of steps down to Hayburn Wyke and back up.
Why go
- Waterfall and rocky cove at the route’s turning point
- Level old railway return
Heads up
- Unfenced cliff sections
- Steep rough steps into and out of Hayburn Wyke
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the North York Moors map
Full mapElevation36–105 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active North York Moors alerts
- ClosureHawnby Bridleway 110 closurePublic Bridleway 25.122/110/1 in Hawnby is closed to pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians because its bridge is unsafe. - The closure is between grid references SE 5309 9073 and SE 5335 9097.Official details
- ClosureWest Ayton Footpath 1 closurePublic Footpath 1 in West Ayton (Forge Valley) is temporarily closed because its boardwalk is unsafe. - The closure is between SE 9860 8494 and SE 9839 8712.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
North York Moors Tour Guide
Your drive to Cloughton and Hayburn Wyke, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for North York Moors National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Cloughton and Hayburn Wyke Loop0:00 / 0:25
“You're approaching Cloughton Station, the starting point for a five-mile loop to Hayburn Wyke.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf North York Moors Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- A Train Before the Station
- Why the Coastal Oaks Twist
- A Fulmar’s Stiff-Winged Glide
- A Forest in the Foreshore
- 298 audio storiesacross North York Moors’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Eurasian Otter, Red Deer, Grey Seal, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 126 trails, 65 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Cloughton and Hayburn Wyke
What you walkStart and finish at Cloughton Station on Station Lane, off the A171.
Start and finish at Cloughton Station on Station Lane, off the A171. The walk begins on the old Scarborough to Whitby railway line, now the Cinder Track, then picks up a short quiet lane and public footpaths out to the small access above Cloughton Wyke. From there the Cleveland Way runs south above the coast to Hayburn Wyke, where the path drops through woodland to a double waterfall falling to a pebble beach and a rocky cove. The return climbs back past the Hayburn Wyke Inn and rejoins the Cinder Track to the station.
Difficulty and footingThe Cinder Track is level and easy to follow, so most of the effort is on the coastal half.
The Cinder Track is level and easy to follow, so most of the effort is on the coastal half. The descent and ascent at Hayburn Wyke are on rough steps that stay muddy and slippery for a long time after rain, and parts of the Cleveland Way are steep and slippery in places. Boots with grip are worth it. Cliff edges may be unstable, and most of the cliff path is unfenced, so keep well back from the edge.
Coast, woodland and wildlifeThe appeal is the contrast: flat, straightforward railway walking, open cliff top views, then a…
The appeal is the contrast: flat, straightforward railway walking, open cliff top views, then a wooded descent to the waterfall and cove. The woodland here is restored mixed woodland with roe deer, foxes and badgers, and more than 30 breeding bird species. On the shore, the rock pools hold marine life, so allow time to look rather than just passing through.
PhotographyThe cove is the main subject, with the double waterfall reaching the beach and the rock pools…
The cove is the main subject, with the double waterfall reaching the beach and the rock pools below it. Build extra time into your plan for this section, since the steps down and back up are slow going, and shoot the coastline from the Cleveland Way where the path runs above the cliffs.
Access, dogs and facilitiesParking and access are at Cloughton Station.
Parking and access are at Cloughton Station. The Cinder Track is shared with cyclists and horse riders, and there is a short section on a quiet lane, so stay aware of other users. Dogs are best kept on short leads, particularly along the unfenced cliff path. There are no toilets on the route; the nearest official pointer is Scalby village.
A gentler optionIf the steep steps are not what you want, walk a there and back stretch of the Cinder Track on…
If the steep steps are not what you want, walk a there and back stretch of the Cinder Track on its own. It gives the same level, easy surface without the coastal descent, though you miss the waterfall and cove.
Wildlife
Wildlife in North York Moors
15 sightingsEurasian OtterMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
10 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
79 sightingsGrey SealMost seen around noonSighting map
26 sightingsWestern Barn OwlMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
33 sightingsEuropean BadgerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
10 sightingsMute SwanMost seen around noonSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across North York Moors. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
