Ingleby Cross to Clay Bank Top Day 13

Most days on the coast to coast walk start with a climb. We had been spared this rude start for the last few days as we left Richmond and then Danby Wiske to cross the Vale of Mowbray. However on leaving Ingleby Cross we again had a steady climb as we joined the Cleveland Way and strode up through the woods to the purple heather blooming on the moors. What was becoming clear was that we were now fitter than when we started and the hills were not such a struggle. Well, not until you get several of them in a row, as we found out later in the day.

Joining the Cleveland Way as we climb above the Vale of York

The heather blooming on Scarth Wood Moor

When we reached Scarth Wood Moor we had our first glimpse of the industrial towns of Teesside off to the north east. We searched for a glimpse of the North Sea which had to be just beyond Teesside but the weather was dirty over that way so visibility was only fair. Some showers swept in from that way intermittently through the day but nothing heavy or persistent. This was just as well as walkers are very exposed to the elements up on the moors.

We followed the edge of the escarpment through the day which gave us great views across the coastal plain including our destination, Great Broughton, which was about 4 km off the route as there is no accommodation at Clay Bank Top itself. Along the way we did get our first glimpses of the North Sea. The end was in sight!

The Cleveland Plain from the moorland escarpment, Hartlepool (Teesside) just visible at top left

The track dipped and rose several times, each one meaning another 250m climb. This became pretty wearying at the end of the day. Our final climb took us up past the intriguing Wainstones, a jumble of rocks set like a huge sculpture on the side of the hill.

The Wainstones

Prospective coast to coast walkers should take note of the problem we had at the supposed end of our day's trek at Clay Bank Top. We had been advised that staff at the Wainstones Hotel (indeed any local accommodation) would be happy to come and pick us up from the roadside. The problem was the chronically bad mobile phone service away from the big cities. We were unable to get a signal from two different phone networks and were just about resigned to taking the treacherous 4km walk down the winding road with poor visibility and no verge, when along came our Irish friend, Aileen, and her B&B host who kindly rang the hotel for us. (He had a phone service that DID work!)

At Clay Bank Top nearly all the climbing on the walk was over. However ahead lay our longest day's walk, 19 miles (nearly 29km) to Glaisdale.