Miles without Stiles (for some) Runswick Bay

An out and back on the Cleveland Way from the upper (top) car park above the bay, 1.2 miles / 2.0 km in total, with the return along the same path. It stays on the clifftop rather than dropping down into the village, so there is no steep bank to tackle in either direction. Allow around 40 minutes at a steady pace, or longer if you are stopping for the views.

From the top car park you walk a short way back along the road, turn at the Runswick Bay Hotel and cut through to pick up the Cleveland Way. The path runs out to the cliff edge, then follows field-edge clifftop out to the turnaround. The bay curves away below, with the coast running on toward Kettleness one way and Port Mulgrave the other. The views are the whole point, and they open up early rather than being saved for the end.

This is easy overall, but it sits in the "for some" category rather than being step-free for everyone. The first stretch, from by the hotel out to the cliff edge, is mostly level smooth aggregate. After that it becomes grass and earth, sometimes rough, with a few slight rises and total ascent of under 20 metres. Strong, confident wheelchair users travelling with a helper, and some off-road mobility scooters, should manage it; independent or unassisted wheelchair use is not something to count on here.

Beyond the aggregate section the grass and earth underfoot can be rough and uneven for a short distance, and the ground rises slightly in places. More importantly, part of the route follows an unfenced cliff top. There is no barrier between the path and the drop, so keep well back from the edge, take care with children, and think twice in strong wind or poor visibility.

The pond beside the route was dug as a reservoir to serve an old ironworks, a quiet reminder of how industrial this coast once was. The cliffs themselves are Jurassic-age shales long known for fossils, best appreciated where they lie rather than hunted for. Dogs are allowed on the Cleveland Way under the usual rules for public rights of way, and on the unfenced clifftop sections a lead is advisable.

Start and finish at the upper car park, which is pay and display. Refreshments are available nearby, including at the Runswick Bay Hotel you pass on the way out.