Landmark Locations on the Cleveland Way
The Cleveland Way National Trail is an enthralling long-distance walk that travels through the breathtaking landscapes of the North York Moors and along the rugged Yorkshire coastline. The 109 mile route offers an enchanting blend of natural wonders, historical landmarks, and coastal charm. Walkers on the Cleveland Way can explore medieval castles, magnificent abbeys, dramatic cliffs, and picturesque fishing villages. The trail’s diversity, including tranquil moorland expanses and dramatic coastal panoramas, offers an outstanding adventure for those seeking a connection to both nature and history. Let’s take a look at some of the landmark locations you’ll experience on your journey. Helmsley Castle The Cleveland Way begins in the charming market town of Helmsley. Here, you can explore the historic Helmsley Castle. This 12th-century fortress boasts a rich history, playing a role in the English Civil War. Its impressive walls and towers provide visitors with a fascinating insight to medieval life and architecture. The site also features a beautiful walled garden filled with a fabulous variety of plants and flowers. Helmsley Castle is a fantastic starting point for your journey along the Cleveland Way, allowing you to step back in time and appreciate the architectural and historical heritage of this magnificent…
Why Choose Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk?
Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast is an iconic and cherished long distance walk spanning the width of the country, from St Bees on the west coast to Robin Hood’s Bay on the east. Covering approximately 192 miles, the trail journeys through three national parks, the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, and the North York Moors. The celebrated fell walker and guidebook writer created the Coast to Coast walk in 1973. Wainwright’s passion for the outdoors, coupled with his meticulous attention to detail, resulted in a magnificent walk showcasing some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the north of England. Wainwright himself once said, “Surely there cannot be a finer itinerary for a long-distance walk.” The adventure begins in St Bees, where you are greeted by dramatic sandstone cliffs and expansive views of the Irish Sea. As you journey through the Lake District, England’s largest National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll encounter majestic mountains, serene lakes, and delightful villages. The trail then takes you into the picturesque Yorkshire Dales, characterised by rolling hills, limestone formations, and charming market towns. The final stretch over the North York Moors offers atmospheric heather-clad moorlands and stunning coastal views. The variety of landscapes…
Autumn in the Dales
Having joined the Mickledore team earlier this year, I was delighted to be asked to plan a familiarisation trip on one of the routes I book in the Operations Team. Walking the Dales Way was going to fit in really well with the time I had available and offered a daily mileage itinerary suitable for me, walking 6 days and averaging around 12 miles per day. With the route decided I next looked to find a companion who could find the time to join me. My friend Catherine stepped up and we were all set. Walking late in the season we were prepared for all weathers, but after the summer we’d had … who knows what weather to expect! Arriving at Ilkley Catherine and I both travel by train to meet at Ilkley, me from Cumbria and Catherine from the Peak District. Our journeys go smoothly and we meet on the platform in the sunshine. We are too early to check into our accommodation, so we have time to amble around the lovely old spa town of Ilkley and discuss our walking week looking at our map and guidebook over a coffee and a bowl of chips! We find our…
The Two Moors Way: Devon’s Coast to Coast Trail
When we talk about walking on the South West Peninsula I think it’s fair to say our thoughts immediately turn to the South West Coast Path, and understandably so, the 630 mile route from Minehead in North Devon round to Poole in Dorset features some of the finest coastal walking in Europe. However there are many other great trails in this beautiful part of the country and one of those is the Two Moors Way, and it just happens to be the latest addition to our list of forty-five routes throughout the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands. The Route Today the Two Moors Way stretches 117 miles from Wembury on the South Devon coast to Lynmouth on the North Devon coast. However the origins of this incredible route date back to 1976 when it was first established as a long-distance trail from Ivybridge to Lynmouth. The brainchild of countryside ranger Joe Turner the route was envisioned as a way to traverse Devon’s most stunning and remote moorlands, linking the two national parks through quiet villages and rural farmland. In 2005 the trail was extended southward to Wembury by incorporating the Erme-Plym Trail. This addition, blending the original Two Moors…
Anne-Marie’s Cotswold Way Adventure
Any of you that are regular readers of our Mickledore blogs will know that last year on my familiarisation trip, my friend Sarah and I got rather wet on the West Highland Way. So, this year, I requested to head south in the hope of getting some warmer, dryer weather on the Cotswold Way. Incredibly, when I asked Sarah if she would join me again, she said yes and she headed back to the UK from her home in Uganda, Africa. I started my adventure by driving to Bath, leaving my car there so I could pick it up at the end of the walk and catching a train back North to Chipping Campden. As usual it was raining at home but once I passed Lancaster on the M6 the sunglasses came out of the glovebox and I felt my shoulders relax and my walking legs begin to warm up with anticipation. Sarah started her journey at the other end of the country in Guildford, Surrey and we had a fairly ambitious plan to meet on the same train in Oxford. Unfortunately, these plans were slightly more ambitious than we originally thought and we arrived in Chipping Campden 2 hours…
Five Reasons Why Hiking Benefits Health
There are many reasons why people enjoy hiking outdoors, and once you are bitten by the trail-bug it can be hard to resist your next outdoor adventure. Hiking is great exercise, but did you know there are more to the health benefits of exercise than meets the eye? Here are five ways that hiking benefits health, and more reasons for a ramble in the countryside! 1. Great Exercise One of the most obvious health benefits of hiking is that it is good all-round exercise that anyone can do. Have you ever felt the effect of reaching the top of a steep hill? That heart-pumping, out of breath feeling shows what a great cardio workout hiking can be. Not only is this good for heart health, but it can help lower blood pressure and increase the efficiency of the lungs. Physical exercise like hiking helps build stronger bones and muscles, improves your core balance and increases stamina. As hiking is a weight-bearing exercise, the more you do it, the stronger the muscles become. Being outdoors in a natural light tops up the body’s reserves of vitamin D too, which is important for strong, healthy bones. Any exercise is good for the…
Red Kites are a Ridgeway Delight
Last year, for my first fam trip here at Mickledore, my partner Damien and I enjoyed our first long distance walk together, along the western section of the Thames Path from Kemble to Oxford. We loved every second of it, so we were incredibly excited as to what we might get to do this year. We settled on the second half of The Ridgeway. As part of my role at Mickledore I have been lucky enough to book Ridgeway holidays for our clients since we launched the route in 2023. It has proved incredibly popular, so we thought it would be the perfect choice for us this year, and it is an area that neither of us have ever visited. We chose to walk the five day RGC6 itinerary over the Chiltern Hills from Goring on Thames to Aldbury. Goring to Watlington We had an extra day in Goring before we started our walk. It is a charming village situated on the banks of the River Thames with lots of cafés, pubs and restaurants to try. You are certainly going to be spoilt for choice, which is handy because with this itinerary you have two nights in the same location….
A walk through James Herriot’s Yorkshire Dales
This year I chose the Herriot Way for my Mickledore staff fam trip. One of the main reasons for this decision was that although the Yorkshire Dales are really not very far away from home, I’m ashamed to say that it’s an area that I just don’t know, so I was looking forward to getting out to explore a totally new area. I opted for our shortest itinerary HE5, consisting of 5 nights with 4 days walking, starting and finishing in Aysgarth with an even spread of approximately 13 miles per day. I quite like circular routes starting and finishing in the same location, as it makes life very easy with regard to transport. We were driving over to the Dales and the circular route meant we could park our car at the start then walk straight back to it at the end. So we arrived at the Aysgarth Falls Hotel early evening where they’d very kindly agreed we could park our car with them for the duration of our walk. After a quick freshen up we headed down for a relaxed drink in the bar prior to dinner. Luckily for us Sunday roast was available on the evening menu,…
Lynne’s A-Z of the Coast to Coast: Dales and Moors
Having completed the Lakes and Mountains section of Wainwright’s Coast to Coast ourselves – taking it in day and weekend walks over the past year – Steven and I were delighted to have the chance to finish this iconic route by tackling the Dales and Moors section in one go as my eight day walking familiarisation trip. The first half from St Bees to Kirkby Stephen was a mix of beautiful weather and ‘cherry-picking’ the best days to walk – fair weather walkers at heart! But this time, we were ready to do what seasoned walkers do; take on the elements, rain or shine. We packed accordingly and set off, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, from Kirkby Stephen. The walk was everything we hoped for; stunning, varied, challenging enough, and rewarding in more ways than we could count. The people we met – hosts, locals, and fellow walkers – added an extra layer of joy to the experience, creating memories we’ll cherish forever. We loved every single day of this route, if time had allowed, we would have happily walked the entire path in one go. While this wasn’t possible, completing the first half in stages and the second in one go…
Notes from the Cornwall Coast
Having walked sections of the Thames Path on my two previous familiarisation trips, I thought I’d try something a little different this year and headed for the South West Coast Path. I chose to walk the 65 miles from St Ives to Lizard on the Cornwall coast. Once again I was accompanied by my daughter Ebony. St Ives We were lucky to be able to spend a bit of time in St Ives before starting our walk and I’d recommend you do the same. It takes some time to get to St Ives and my feeling is if you were to arrive, realistically late afternoon, and set off on your walk the following morning, you’d leave with a sense of regret. Renowned for its stunning beaches, vibrant art scene, and rich cultural heritage, St Ives has long been a favourite destination for artists, surfers, and tourists alike. St Ives deserves to be explored, and it deserves at least a full day to do so. The town is home to several beautiful beaches, each offering its own unique charm. Porthmeor Beach is perhaps the most famous, known for its golden sands and excellent surf, it’s a real hotspot for adventurers. Porthminster…
Kofi the Beagle’s Amazing Lake District Adventure
This article was written by Hayley Finn during their time with Mickledore and reflects their first-hand experience of the route. Fans of my previous work will know I usually walk with my wife and, last year, also my parents-in-law. This year, I have chosen one of Mickledore’s most challenging walks: the Inn Way to the Lake District, a circular route around the entire national park that includes 42 traditional Lakeland inns and many key locations and valleys. The route was devised by guidebook writer Mark Reid. This year, I am walking with the very best companion – my dog! Kofi is a 6-year-old beagle, born and raised in the Lake District. She’s a well-trained fell dog, stays close, and doesn’t bother the livestock or wildlife. She is also very dramatic and overly friendly if we meet anyone having their lunch! For the last six months, we have both been in training for this walk – me to lose my lockdown weight and Kofi to get her fitness up and ensure her paws and stamina can handle the rocky, rough paths of the route. When walking with your dog, it’s really important to consider their fitness as well as your own….
Walking the Pembrokeshire Coast Path with my Mum
This year I fancied something different. I have previously walked the Cotswold Way and Dales High Way so this time I was drawn to a walk by the sea. I therefore chose to walk the second half of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path from Marloes to St Dogmaels. After my friend Hana sadly had to drop out due to long covid my mum kindly said she would be keen to join me and within no time it was already time for our trip. Marloes and Skomer Island Our first day on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path was booked as a rest day as I wanted to visit the puffins on Skomer Island. A real must do activity! We dropped our car in St Dogmaels at the end of our route and opted to get a taxi to take us to Marloes to begin our rest day. Paul from Jones Coastal Taxis drove us and chatted to us about the area and wildlife. I’m not normally known for restful days so with that in mind I decided it would be great to walk Marloes Peninsula as well that day. We started the peninsula walk on the south side passing some beautiful beaches, coves…