Stainsacre walk

STAINSACRE is a little place. In two ticks we were striding sun dappled down the cinder track bed of the onetime railway line to Whitby, catching a flash of the abbey a few miles away. The mile or so took no time, through cuttings, along embankments; there were walkers, runners, a cyclist and a photographer.

Until 2000 this route wasn't possible, because the Larpool Viaduct was shut. But now it's super to stand on the spectacular late nineteenth century structure of 13 very tall brick arches.

The view is over Whitby to the skeletal Dracula drama of the Abbey set against the North Sea sky. The River Esk sluiced below, tidal and low in its muddy seaweed banks

From here it's only a short stroll into the town. We had a gander but Whitby was absurdly busy and we baled out fast. Anyway our route turns west up the river, through a cutting rich in hearts tongue ferns, past allotments flying English flags to deter foreign birds and on to the most civilised path to Ruswarp.

All the way to this riverside village you walk splendid sandstone flags and there's a good full on view of the arches of the viaduct.

Ruswarp is nice, for the houses, the railway station of the Esk Valley Line and especially for the juxtaposition of two ace bridges, a single arch of blue steel for the cars and metal lattice and iron columns for the trains.

We took the road for a short distance and then a dead end lane, had sandwiches on a bench and at a farm almost missed the sweet and camouflaged sight of a black and white cat snuggled up and in the straw with a black and white cow.

More stone flags, the Monks Walk, took us steep down into a valley of joining steams, mossy boulders, sedges, rhododendrons and then a good noisy waterfall at the tiny hamlet of Golden Grove. There were squirrels and a jay in an orchard.

Tarmac leads on, there was no traffic and the surface was soon veined with mossy cracks and then petered out to a path that led back into the woods and yet another confluence. A grassy field and we were back in Stainsacre; it had been a most interesting walk.

Directions

When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.

1. Steps up to old railway track on bridge near The Windmill Inn.

2. Over viaduct, a few hundred yards, left at concrete blocks to snickel gate ten yards away, path between fences, steps down then up, grassy path (allotments on right), stile/gap on left and steps to sandstone trod (flagstones), snickelgate to field-edge trod (sign).

3. Left to road, bridge over River Esk and left to road, first road on right, uphill (signed Golden Grove and dead-end). Bench near crest, farm, 200 yards.

4. ROUTE OPTION: Stay on road or hedged path/trod on left, steep downhill, footbridge, right, footbridge to path up valley, bridge, left to rejoin road.

5. Shortly after houses at Golden Grove the road peters out and becomes metalled path.

6. At four-way paths junction (signs and a stile to your right), turn left and stay on main path which loops right then left downhill to footbridge near confluence. Uphill on track (not on streamside path). At concrete Yorkshire Water access road, take stile on right up grassy bank, straight across field towards play area and into Stainsacre.

Fact file

Distance: Five miles.

Time: Three hours.

General location: Near Whitby.

Start: Stainsacre.

Right of way: The complete route is along public rights of way.

Date walked: January 2, 2005.

Road route: Stainsacre is on the A171 Whitby to Scarborough road.

Car parking: Roadside Stainsacre.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: The Windmill Inn at Stainsacre and the Bridge Inn at Ruswarp.

Tourist and public transport information: Whitby TIC 01947 602674.

Map: Based on OS Explorer OL27 North York Moors eastern area.

Terrain: Railway track bed and wooded valley.

Points of interest: Waterfall.

Difficulty: A good bad weather walk.

Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers set out at their own risk.

Click here to view a map of the walk

Updated: 16:46 Friday, January 21, 2005