Paradise Walk at Cropton Forest

The walk begins with a steady climb out of the valley, gaining roughly 55 metres from about 150 m to a high point near 205 m. That pull is the main effort of the day and it comes early. The reward is at the top, where the trees give way and the view opens out across the Vale of Pickering. From there the route eases downhill through mixed forest and open habitat, then joins the Easy Access Trail for the final stretch back to the Forest Hub.

Short but not flat. Most reasonably fit walkers will finish in 45 to 60 minutes at a relaxed pace, longer if you stop for the view.

• The climb is continuous rather than steep in bursts, so pace yourself from the start
• Underfoot it is a mix of forest path and more open ground, so proper shoes are better than trainers
• The open sections leave you exposed to wind and sun with little cover
• Wayfinding relies on spotting the blue markers at junctions, and other routes share parts of the forest, so check the colour before you commit to a turn
• The final leg uses the Easy Access Trail, but the climb earlier in the loop means this is not an accessible walk end to end

The interest here is the contrast: enclosed conifer sections, then patches of open habitat where the sky and the Vale come into view. Look for signs of badger and deer where the path crosses open ground, worn tracks, scrapes and prints in soft earth. Deer are most likely to show themselves early and late in the day, which is also when the light on the open ground and the Vale view is at its best. If you only take one photo, take it from the high point.

Dogs are welcome on this forest walk under control. Keep them close and in sight, use a lead if recall is unreliable, and make sure they cannot chase people, livestock or wildlife.

The trailhead is at Forest Holidays Keldy, Cropton, Pickering, YO18 8ES, with short access connectors linking the car parking area to the waymarked loop. Parking is free, but there are no designated accessible parking spaces. Fires, barbecues and stoves are not permitted anywhere in the forest because of the high fire risk, so plan a cold picnic if you want to eat at the top.

The nearby Red Walk stays more consistently wooded, so it suits anyone who would rather have trees than an open viewpoint. Take this loop if the view over the Vale is the point of the walk.