Into the woods

Looking down on to New Marske from the big car park in Errington Wood, we gazed over to the west to the ICI Wilton flare stacks and headed for the trees.

The sun shone, people were walking the dog, airing the child, spring cleaning their souls. An information board informed that Bronze Age chiefs were buried here in barrows; a lady removed a rustic bough presumably for her garden. There was evidence of alfresco goings on - a lager can, graffiti on industrial heritage of ironstone mining.

A fast half mile along Sandy Lane and the crowds were gone, the hum of the conurbation faded, and six roe deer ambled across a field into a stand of pine trees. We took good paths by holly, oak and ash; the Cleveland Hills stood blue against a bright sky, notably the pointed Roseberry Topping.

Later, down by a stream in mossy woods and pussy willows there is a masonry chimney, 30-feet high and ten in diameter. Nearby, is a shaft of similar masonry, fenced, colonised by hartstongue ferns. According to the stone test, it sounded at least 30 foot deep. Dogs' mercury greened the earth.

We came out at a house with white painted kennels, a farrier tapped away in a stable. Then there's a pheasant wood, then Tocketts Mill which was for corn, is restored and open from Easter.

The route continues between two fancy caravans, up and across a hillside of wet seepages via duckboards and up a track to the Brown Hills. These have a parkland feel with big oaks, an occasional cedar and views to Skelton. We took a sandwich stop under one of the oaks, a kestrel landed in it. We watched, then walked on.

After a soft munching sound from a cattle shed and a nice little habitat fizzing with tits we slid into Village Wood. The village is Upleatham, just below, Home Farm, a house or two. Spot the reputedly smallest church in England. The wood is long and lovely, drifts of beech leaves, a carpet of pine needles and the promise of bluebells.

Then, on the advice of Emma Daniel, the local countryside access officer, we took the high path through the open access woods where indeed, after tall sparky gorse, 'the views open out' - north over Marske flat to the flat sands, the sea and the ships, east to headland cliffs beyond Saltburn, then the patchwork quilt of New Marske and east to the industrial might, which also looks fantastic at night.

Fact File:

Distance: Five and a half miles.

Time: Three hours.

General location: Cleveland.

Start: Car park.

Right of way: The route is along public rights of way and in Open Access Area.

Date walked: Friday February 13 2004.

Road route: Via Guisborough, then B1269 Redcar Road, right after Dunsdale - signed 'New Marske'. One mile.

Car parking: Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, large, free, and picnic tables.

Lavatories: None.

Refreshments: Inn at Tocketts Mill.

Tourist and public transport information: Redcar TIC 01642 471921.

Map: Based on OS Explorer OL26 Western area.

Terrain: Wooded slope and escarpment.

Points of interest: Wheelchair-smooth track in Errington Wood.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Dogs: Suitable.

Weather forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418.

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

Directions:

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

1. Path into woods from corner of car park (by information board), 50 yards, up steps on right, 50 yards, right at T-junction to track, over junction to hedged track.

2. Fieldgate into field, 100 yards, ladderstile on right to path outside wood, right at boundary, 50 yards, path on left (metal sign) towards next block of woodland.

3. Stile by horse jump, 100 yards by wood then angle down via large oak to wood corner, down bank to stile.

4. Footbridge, left for 50 yards, path on right uphill at fenced shaft, through yard (stables to left), 100 yards on track.

5. Stile on left to field-edge path (signed), path into woods, footbridge, left, bridge into caravan park, left on drive, 50 yards, brick path between numbers 4 and 5.

6. Path uphill in woods, ignore left fork, footbridge and duckboards, stile to field-edge path, stile to pasture.

7. Left to track uphill, gateway and grassy route.

8. Stile/fieldgate on right and track gently uphill (pass tip), stile/fieldgate, track loops to T-junction (waymarked post), left uphill for 50 yards, right in front of barn, field-edge path.

9. Stile near wood corner to path downhill through wood then near wood-edge.

10. At tracks 'Y' junction, fork right for ten yards to fieldgate to path below wood, contour, stile into wood, path uphill.

11. At main paths 'T'-junction (slight 4th path ahead, isolated tree within junction, wall 50 yards downhill to right) turn left uphill (old quarries below to right) to hillside/wood edge path. Trig Point on grassy knoll.

12. Path swings right downhill (old gateposts on left, sign 14/c), 50 yards, right fork downhill, steps, left to track (by bench), 50 yards, narrow path on right (ignore left forks) downhill, left to main track near wood edge, fork right on main track for 100 yards to car park.

Click here to view a map of the walk

Updated: 08:49 Saturday, February 21, 2004