Bill's Walks

Book Review: “Cleveland Way” by Gordon Simm & Jacquette Megarry

Filed under: Other

I am a fan of the walking guides produced by Rucksack Readers and recently reviewed their “Hadrian’s Wall Path” book, written by the same team. Their ethos of keeping things brief but at the same time succinct, and also producing the books on water resistant paper is a winner. Furthermore the size of the book fits easily into most pockets.

Howver I am somewhat surprised that they chose to produce a book on the Cleveland Way. Rucksack Readers have produced many fine books on popular areas of the world such as the Inca Trail and many in the UK and in addition manage to publish books on some lesser trails particularly in Scotland some of which my own group intend to walk someday.

The Cleveland Way was our second long distance path (now called National Trails) and opened in May 1969 some four years after the Pennine Way. My personal opinion is that it does not get the recognition that it deserves. I live quite close to most of the route, some sections of which l have walked many times, and it is a superb route best appreciated on clear days due to its extensive views often over much of northern England. Possibly its location in the North East has meant that walkers often plump for walks nearer to where they live and this is illustrated by a group I sometimes join whose home area is Devon. They have been in existence for over 30 years, have an Annual Walk either in the UK or in Europe and it has taken them to this year before they selected the Cleveland Way. Needless to say they enjoyed it immensely and in this dire year for excess rain they had virtually a dry walk as this area has some of the lowest rainfall figures in the UK!

The reason that I am surprised by the choice of the Cleveland Way is that this is probably the easiest National Trail to follow without having to use large scale maps. For almost its entire length it follows the Cleveland escarpment and then on reaching the coast follows the magnificent cliffs south to end at Filey. Indeed these cliffs are easily the highest on the east coast and as a consequence route finding is easy. I note myself that I am still using the National Trail Guide of Alan Falconer from 1972 which probably illustrates my point that the book tends to get used for historical data etc. and not for route finding in difficult conditions. Furthermore there are already two other Guide books on this walk, these being the Official Guide and one by Paddy Dillon on Cicerone. The latter also includes the Wolds Way and the Tabular Hills, which take you on a fine route back towards the start at Helmsley.

This Rucksack Readers book maintains their high standards though. The pages on Heritage are good with a fine section on the geology of the area and the iron and alum which were mined in the areas through which the path passes. The illustrations are superb and there are 90 colour photos which means that on completion you can refresh your memory of the walk. I particularly like the section on the History of the Cleveland Way which highlights the work of the pioneers as much of the walk has been used from the early days of leisure walking in England.

It would be good to see further information on altitude climbed each day as the section from Osmotherley to Clay Bank will give rise to some tired limbs! On that day the diversion to Mount Grace Abbey (National Trust) is only for the fit as it involves a descent back to the Vale of York and in any case deserves quality time to be spent there. The diversion to Guisborough is recommended as this is a fine small town, but do not get Cleveland Street which is used for part of the way back onto the way, with the Cleveland Way itself.

In future l will be using this guide when on the Cleveland Way partly to conserve my Falconer, which has memories and dates of some lovely days with old friends, but also because l likethis book which has all the information that l need in a compact format which can be easily used on windy days.

Cleveland Way ISBN 978-1-898481-55-3

Published by Rucksack Readers Price £10.99

Sadly since penning this review the author Gordon Simm, whose knowledge of the Cleveland Hills and North Yorkshire Moors National Park was profound, went missing on a gorge walk near Nerja on the Costa del Sol in Spain and has not been found. Any further information on this tragic situation can be found at http://www.rucsacs.com/authors/Gordon-Simm