Ashley Toft

Why the Cleveland Way, and why in April? Our kids have (almost!) left home, so my wife Louise and I thought we’d take the opportunity to visit a part of the UK that we don’t know at all well, and test our walking fitness over 8 days on the Cleveland Way in Yorkshire. The combination of stunning heather moorland with far-reaching views and rugged coastal scenery, studded with picturesque fishing villages looked fantastic, especially as there is so much of historical interest to see along the way. So we booked a walk from Helmsley to Robin Hood’s Bay, leaving mid-April, the last week of the Easter holidays at the school where Louise teaches. We were some of the first Mickledore clients to travel this year, and we went with the expectation that the weather would be ‘varied’ in North Yorkshire at this time of year. But also that it would be quiet on the trails and that we’d have the towns, villages and historical sites largely to ourselves. Having been on many guided group adventures over the years, this was our first self-guided holiday, so a whole new experience. And the more we thought about it as we were getting…