Cleveland Way 50th - artist prepares major exhibition to mark half century

An artist in residence has been appointed as part of plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of Britain's best-loved long distance national trails in 2019.
Landscape artist Debbie Loane from Easingwold has been appointed as the Cleveland Way's artist in residence.Landscape artist Debbie Loane from Easingwold has been appointed as the Cleveland Way's artist in residence.
Landscape artist Debbie Loane from Easingwold has been appointed as the Cleveland Way's artist in residence.

The 109-mile Cleveland Way which runs across the North York Moors National Park from Helmsley to Filey Brigg via Osmotherley, Saltburn by the Sea, Whitby and Scarborough, is 50 years’ old on May 24 next year.

Landscape artist Debbie Loane from Easingwold has been appointed as the trail’s artist in residence and is now preparing a major exhibition of her work, titled ‘109 Miles’ that will be staged from May 11 to June 9 at the National Park’s Inspired by… gallery at Danby to coincide with the anniversary.

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The exhibition will be based on Debbie’s interpretation of six very distinct stretches of the Cleveland Way trail which have been chosen to reflect the diverse landscape along the route.

The locations include the tree-lined route above Rievaulx Abbey, the sweeping escarpment of Sutton Bank, the cliff tops around Skinningrove and Boulby and the urban townscape of Scarborough.In 2016, Debbie, who runs the Lund Gallery at Easingwold, was one of two artists who retraced the steps of artist JMW Turner across Yorkshire to produce an exhibition at the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes marking the bi-centenary of his work.

Other plans to celebrate the Cleveland Way’s 50th will reflect the great diversity of the landscape, variety of features and the broad range of activities along the trail that make it so special.

Plans include:

* the publication of a booklet in the New Year listing the general public’s suggestions for the 50 best things to do on the Cleveland Way

* creation of a new film about the trail

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* a special 50-mile ultramarathon trail running event on 16 March organised by the Hardmoors Ultra Series.

Malcolm Hodgson, Cleveland Way National Trails Officer, said: “When the trail first opened it was mainly popular with hikers but now runners, families and artists are just as likely to enjoy sections of the route.”