Cleveland Way

"Kevin Howell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As anyone done this walk backpacking? If so could they tell me if sites
were plentiful and was it possible to wild camp when no site was
available. I will be doing it in July and will be hopefully doing it in 7
days. I have not bouhgt the maps yet and the www does not have much info
on nearby campsites. Thanks very much...Kev

I did this in two parts, Roseberry Topping to Helmsley in July 2003 (3 days)
and Roseberry Topping to Filey in September 2005 (5 days).

Most of the land is privately owned and farmed so wildcamping is not
practical especially along the coast, but I had planned to use official
sites so wasn't really looking. Did meet one guy from Bradford with a
lean-to shelter against a stone wall high above the waters near Hayburn Wyke
(I think).

In 2003 I wildcamped near the Wainstones and on top of the moors near
Whitestone Scar outside Osmotherley. These were long days walking and in
hindsight I should have taken an extra day to make it easier and more
enjoyable. Today I can barely recall some of the walk but I do recall that
part being mostly on the level. There were no easy to reach campsites that I
could find at the time, maybe that has changed.

Last year I really should have planned my first night better. I arrived in
Saltburn at 5pm and discovered the Caravan Park I'd planned on staying at no
longer allows camping. I then had to walk 3km along the coast till I found a
corner of a farmers field and hoped not to be caught in the morning. That
wasn't a problem but it turned out the railway line next door was very much
in use by freight trains, at least one every 2 hours during the night.
Result: bad nights sleep.

The campsite in Runswick Bay is great, well laid out and cheap with a pub
close by selling good hot meals.
There might be a campsite near Hawsker Bottoms.
Stayed in the YHA at Robins Hood Bay but the map shows campsites nearby.
Nice pub at top of the hill with good food.
Stayed in the YHA at Scalby/north Scarborough instead of finding the
campsite nearby because it looked like torrential rain and I was knackered
with a huge blister on the sole of my foot.

The overpriced and overcamped Filey Brigg Country Park is some way from town
and the pubs and shops.
On arrival in the afternoon I paid out my last cash for the site and was
then told by the office staff I needed to provide an extra £5 refundable
deposit on the keycard for the toilets. (Bit annoyed)
We arranged that I would go into town and return later with the money.
(Awkward)
Having removed several cigarette butts and other junk from the tiny, brown
grass patch of land shared in close proximity with other tents and cars, I
set up camp and did the long walk into town. (Rather unhappy)
Upon returning to the site I found the office had closed 15 minutes early.
(Thoroughly [censored])
I was very fortunate in the onsite shop/cafe keepers being kind enough to
lend me their keycard for the night. I repaid them by having a very nice
full breakfast the next morning.

If you have any further questions drop me a line.

Nick

"Kevin Howell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As anyone done this walk backpacking? If so could they tell me if sites
were plentiful and was it possible to wild camp when no site was
available. I will be doing it in July and will be hopefully doing it in 7
days. I have not bouhgt the maps yet and the www does not have much info
on nearby campsites. Thanks very much...Kev

Sorry, forgot to add the links and booklist.
http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ClevelandWay/index.asp?PageId=1 is the
official website. You can download or order the Accommodation and
Information Guide which lists all the local places to camp, stay, eat and
shop. Very useful.
You might also want to do the Passport which you get stamped at 6 places
along the route to send off for an official Completion Certificate.

http://www.clevelandway.co.uk/ is another useful site.

Get the OS maps and at least read the Cleveland Way book by Ian Sampson even
if you don't take it with you. The book by Martin Collins is also good and
includes the Tabular Link from Filey to Helmsley.

Nick

Kevin Howell said:

As anyone done this walk backpacking? If so could they tell me if sites were
plentiful and was it possible to wild camp when no site was available. I
will be doing it in July and will be hopefully doing it in 7 days. I have
not bouhgt the maps yet and the www does not have much info on nearby
campsites. Thanks very much...Kev

We backpacked the CW and Missing Link in 2002, but we wildcamped the whole route as always, so we
were not really looking for campsites. We did note that there were campsites on the coastal section
that we could have used as a fallback if wild pitching was too iffy:- at Hinderwell, Runswick Bay,
Whitby, Hawsker, Robin Hood's Bay, Ravenscar, near Hayburn Wyke, Scarborough, Cayton, Lebberston
and Filey.

There is no problem wild pitching on the inland sections. We included some brief backpackers notes
on our website trip report.

We really enjoyed the CW, a very good route, not least because of its variety. Good luck with it.

Regards

-- GeoffC

Take out TheEnemy to email me

http://v-g.me.uk

Cheers Nick and Geoff for there prompt replies. This info has cheered me up
no end, as my friend really cannot afford to use B&B or campsite fees, so it
is welcome news. Will now start to plan my days and look for suitable, close
to civilisation pitches on the maps.
Thanks again....Kev

In article <[email hidden]>,
([email hidden]) muttered something along the lines of ...

Quoted message said:

As anyone done this walk backpacking? If so could they tell me if sites were
plentiful and was it possible to wild camp when no site was available. I
will be doing it in July and will be hopefully doing it in 7 days. I have
not bouhgt the maps yet and the www does not have much info on nearby
campsites. Thanks very much...Kev

Did the cleveland way last easter - both camping youth
hostelling/camping barn accomodation.

As for wildcamping, i did rather cheekily 'wild-camp' (in the loosest
sense of the wording - was in a bit of a park area!) in a bit of a
nature reserve just outside of Saltburn By The Sea. Valley Gardens if I
remember rightly (somewhere around NZ 66573 20852). Was actually quite a
good place to stay - toilets that were open through the night and some
nice flat ground to camp on - that and the use of the picnic table to
eat at! Lots of people passed in the evening and didn't seem supprised
to see a tent so think it's something that is done quite often by
people.

My TR is on my Blog if you're interested
http://chrisnaylor.blogspot.com/2005/03/tr-cleveland-way.html

HTH

--
Chris Naylor
Remove your trousers to reply
http://www.neff.org.uk
http://www.ireland2006eb.org.uk/

Never eat at a place called Mom's.

Cheers Chris, I have printed out your info on your blog if thats ok. I will
read it at work tomorrow. Kev

"Chris Naylor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
([email hidden]) muttered something along the lines of ...

Quoted message said:

As anyone done this walk backpacking? If so could they tell me if sites
were
plentiful and was it possible to wild camp when no site was available. I
will be doing it in July and will be hopefully doing it in 7 days. I have
not bouhgt the maps yet and the www does not have much info on nearby
campsites. Thanks very much...Kev

Did the cleveland way last easter - both camping youth
hostelling/camping barn accomodation.

As for wildcamping, i did rather cheekily 'wild-camp' (in the loosest
sense of the wording - was in a bit of a park area!) in a bit of a
nature reserve just outside of Saltburn By The Sea. Valley Gardens if I
remember rightly (somewhere around NZ 66573 20852). Was actually quite a
good place to stay - toilets that were open through the night and some
nice flat ground to camp on - that and the use of the picnic table to
eat at! Lots of people passed in the evening and didn't seem supprised
to see a tent so think it's something that is done quite often by
people.

My TR is on my Blog if you're interested
http://chrisnaylor.blogspot.com/2005/03/tr-cleveland-way.html

HTH

--
Chris Naylor
Remove your trousers to reply
http://www.neff.org.uk
http://www.ireland2006eb.org.uk/

Never eat at a place called Mom's.

"make sure you stop off at Whitby and try magpies fish and chips. i
challenge anyone to find anywhere better.

"Kevin Howell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As anyone done this walk backpacking? If so could they tell me if sites

were

Quoted message said:

plentiful <snip>

A good place to camp on the Osmotherly to Kildale section is at the Lords
Stone Cafe above Carlton. There is a small charge but the cafe owner leaves
the toilet block unlocked for you overnight. They close about 7pm so you
could get a dinner on arrival and an excellent breakfast before setting off.
Neither the cafe nor the Lords Stones are shown on the brand new Ordnance
Survey map for some reason, but they are on the old one, from memory I think
the cafe site is shown as a car park.
Huw

"forlorn hope" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Kevin Howell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As anyone done this walk backpacking? If so could they tell me if sites

were

Quoted message said:

plentiful <snip>

A good place to camp on the Osmotherly to Kildale section is at the Lords
Stone Cafe above Carlton. There is a small charge but the cafe owner
leaves
the toilet block unlocked for you overnight. They close about 7pm so you
could get a dinner on arrival and an excellent breakfast before setting
off.
Neither the cafe nor the Lords Stones are shown on the brand new Ordnance
Survey map for some reason, but they are on the old one, from memory I
think
the cafe site is shown as a car park.
Huw

Yes it is an excellent stop with good grub. It's at grid NZ 524 030

In article <[email hidden]>,
([email hidden]) muttered something along the
lines of ...

Quoted message said:

"forlorn hope" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Kevin Howell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As anyone done this walk backpacking? If so could they tell me if sites

were

Quoted message said:

plentiful <snip>

A good place to camp on the Osmotherly to Kildale section is at the Lords
Stone Cafe above Carlton. There is a small charge but the cafe owner
leaves
the toilet block unlocked for you overnight. They close about 7pm so you
could get a dinner on arrival and an excellent breakfast before setting
off.
Neither the cafe nor the Lords Stones are shown on the brand new Ordnance
Survey map for some reason, but they are on the old one, from memory I
think
the cafe site is shown as a car park.
Huw

Yes it is an excellent stop with good grub. It's at grid NZ 524 030

Definitely a good idea to stop on the way past - serves a welcoming (and
cheap!) pint of ale!

Was glad of the stop when I used it last year - stocked up on some nice
rock buns which got me through the longer than planned walk through to
Kildale!
--
Chris Naylor
Remove your trousers to reply
http://www.neff.org.uk
http://www.ireland2006eb.org.uk/

"I really took the bull by the hands."