Your Day Out: Walk has glorious views

Follow the A171 Scarborough to Whitby road to Station Lane in Cloughton village, from where this route starts. Access is by private or public transport.

Start from the top of Station Lane at its junction with the A171. Cross the busy road with care to take the public footpath opposite. Continue beside the walled cemetery to your left. Keep straight forward over the field and a gentle rise leads to the perimeter of the quarries. Enter the woodland, turning immediately left to follow its boundary to Quarry Road [ignore any minor footpaths.]

Passing Quarry House to the left, veer right via any gate and cross grazing land with gorse bushes. Beyond a gate, walling is seen to the right as you approach Ripley’s Road. Access Ripley’s Road and turn right. Several metres ahead, veer right again to cross a grassed field which is recognised as a green lane or Ripley’s Track.

The views are remarkable as you head towards the A171, the Whitby road, passing woodland to your right before dropping down to meet the main road. Here turn right and follow the roadside verge as it descends to meet Little Moor Close off right. Cross the end of this close to discover your public footpath over a wall.

Follow the obvious path alongside Cloughton Beck, with the rear gardens of bungalows beyond fencing etc.

At the end bungalow enter a field, with a chance to relax and admire the gorse-clad hillside, which is clothed in golden blossom in spring and summertime.

Continue past a second footbridge, with the beck keeping close company as you wander to the corner of the field.

Enter a gate opening into rough grassland, and remain beside the beck to the far end of the field.

Here, take the footbridge and proceed to reach Moor Lane. Turn briefly right up Moor Lane, cross the ford, and to your left a public footpath guides you onwards.

An attractive row of bungalows overlooks the beck. In springtime dancing daffodils cheer your way as you follow the path to enter a sports field. Remain on the grassy footpath to the end of the field.

Turn left along a track through an open gateway, and passing the cemetery, you reach the road once more. Cross the High Street with care to return to Station Lane.

NB. The old sandstone quarry above the village is said to have produced stone for Scarborough Castle, and most probably for Cloughton’s small Victorian church of St Mary.

Distance: 3.25 miles approximately. Allow 1.5 hours.

Refreshment: Station Cafe, bottom of Station Lane, Cloughton. Also the Coast Gallery, Old County Primary School, Mill Lane, Cloughton.

Map reference: Ordnance Survey, Explorer Map OL27, North York Moors Eastern Area. Scale: 2.5 inches to one mile.

Bus services: Arriva 93 and 93A and numbers 15 and 115.