Miles without Stiles (For some) - Clay Bank and Greenhow Plantation

A closed circular loop of 3 miles / 4.8 km, starting and finishing at the Forestry Commission car park and picnic area at Clay Bank on the B1257 Helmsley to Stokesley road. Allow about 1 hour 30 minutes. The stated distance follows the official route leaflet, which is the figure to plan by; detailed mapping of the same loop measures a little over 5 km, a normal difference from a rounded published distance. Total ascent and descent are around 119 m, with the start and finish near 248 m.

From the car park the walk drops down a short minor-road section towards Ingleby Greenhow, then passes through a barrier onto stone forestry tracks. From there it contours above the valley and enters Greenhow Plantation, climbs on the section between a main track and a crossing bridleway, and picks up the upper forest tracks. The return is via a gate, a lay-by and a short stretch of roadside back to the car park. It is a genuine loop rather than an out-and-back, and it does not take in the Cleveland Way, the Wainstones or Hasty Bank.

The reward is the mix of shaded woodland walking through Greenhow Plantation and open, broad views across the Cleveland plain, with Roseberry Topping and the Captain Cook Monument picked out on clear days. Much of the plantation was conifer, and restoration work here is steadily bringing back native alder, rowan, willow, oak and birch. For the views, pick a day with good visibility; the woodland sections are welcome shade when the sun is strong.

Editorial difficulty 4/10. There are no steps and no stiles, but this is not an easy stroll: the road descent reaches gradients of up to 1:4, forestry tracks up to about 1:6, and the upper tracks around 1:7. Underfoot you get a short minor road, stone and aggregate forestry tracks, and stretches of forested or wilder trail and short path. Much of the loop is on firm track, but soil and grass cover parts of it, loose and rough surfaces occur in places, and after wet weather Clay Bank can be muddy with muddy hollows forming. Boots or sturdy shoes are sensible.

This is officially a Miles without Stiles route in the "For some" category, not "For all" or "For many". Strong and confident wheelchair users with help, and some experienced off-road mobility scooter users, may find it within their abilities because of the absence of steps and stiles. It is not a general wheelchair, pushchair or universally accessible route, and the several steep gradients are the reason why. Judge the gradients above against your own equipment and support before setting out.

Dogs are welcome. In Forestry Commission woods they may be off lead only while genuinely under control, and you should put them on a lead when horses pass on the bridleway sections in Greenhow Plantation. Keep them under close control around livestock and wildlife.

Start and finish at the Forestry Commission car park and picnic area at Clay Bank on the B1257, OS grid reference NZ 572 035. There are no facilities on the route itself. Chop Gate lies about 2 3/4 miles / 4.4 km south for refreshments, and the village hall there has the nearest toilets. The loop runs mostly across Forestry Commission access land, so tracks can occasionally be closed for tree felling or other forest operations; the land is usually open at weekends. It is worth being ready to turn back or adjust if you meet signed work in progress.