NORTH EAST
■Distance: 10 miles/16km ■Time: 4 hours ■Grade: Moderate
The Lion Inn is situated at 1300ft above sea level on the narrowest point of Blakey Ridge between the valleys of Rosedale and Farndale.
There has been a hostelry here from the 13th century, possibly used by monks heading along the exposed Blakey Ridge to and from Guisborough Priory.
The present day inn dates from the 16th Century and is an essential stop on Wainwright’s Coast to Coast walk.
1 Start
From the Lion Inn, cross the road to pick up the footpath at the corner of the wall and descend to track-bed of former Rosedale Railway. Head south along old railway. In ½ mile, a broad open area is site of Blakey Junction.
2 ¾ mile/1.2km
Continue south along the old railway.
Two miles from Blakey Junction, come to the site of Sheriff’s Pit iron mine, which closed in 1911.
3 2¾ miles/4.5km
From here, the line sweeps round Thorgill Head.
Ahead, a row of former workers cottages comes into view at Bank Top, Rosedale West.
4 4½ miles/7.2km
Fork L below the cottages on a path that swings L down to a stile in the wall corner. Cross and continue down by the wall and bear R towards the Red House Golf Course. Go R then L past Clubhouse to emerge on minor road. Cross to stile opposite and continue down by a wall to some steps onto road. Walk down the road to junction and turn L to centre of the village.
PLAN YOUR WALK
ROUTE
Start/parking Next to the Lion Inn, Blakey Ridge, grid ref SE679996, postcode YO62 7LQ
Is it for me? Steep decent to Rosedale Abbey village, then field paths, lanes and tracks.
Ends with steady climb from Moorlands Farm up to the Lion Inn Stiles 4
PLANNING
Nearest towns Pickering or Guisborough (15 miles)
Refreshments The Lion Inn (01751 417320); in Rosedale Abbey: Abbey Stores & Tearoom (01751 417475), Graze on the Green (01751 417468), The Coach House Inn (01751 417208)
Public toilets Rosedale Abbey
Public transport Moorsbus to Lion Inn, summer weekends (moorsbus.org)
Maps OS Explorer OL26; Landranger 100
5 5¼ miles/8.4km
From the vill
