Doing the Esk Valley Walk

Castleton Moor Station to Whitby

Distance: About 19-Miles

Time Taken: 7 hours

Weather: Bright, Warm and Clear - perfect!

Ancient Trod on the North York Moors Esk Valley Walk.

The Walk

The Esk Valley Walk is a beautiful long distance footpath that runs from Castleton on the high North York Moors to the sea at lovely Whitby.

Both places are dear to me; the former is where I lived as a boy; and the latter is where I loved as a young man!

If, like me, you're staying in Whitby; it is possible to get the train from Whitby to Castleton Moor station and then walk back.  

I recommend buying a return ticket in case you need to rejoin the train at any station during the return walk.  It's cheaper than having to buy two singles!

Castleton Moor Train Station Provides the Starting Point for this Walk.

Although there is a longer route that snakes to various locations away from the River Esk itself; today I'm reporting on a shorter walk that simply follows the Esk Valley; and links the villages as you walk downstream from Castleton to Whitby.

My route is about 19-miles and easily achievable within a single day.  

Or you could break the trip and stay overnight at Glaisdale or Grosmont at about the half way mark.

My route also shadows the River Esk itself; and the waymarking symbol of a leaping salmon is easy enough to follow along most of the path.

Look for the Leaping Salmon Waymark Symbols.

Note, the yellow salmon symbol denotes the footpath for hikers and the blue salmon shows the bridleways for horse riders.

But you can use either path I guess?

From Castleton Moor Railway Station the route leads through Park Wood and joins the tarmac road leading to the crossroads at the Duke of  Wellington in Danby.

A Sun-dappled Path in Park Woods, Castleton.

Cross straight over at the Duke and about half-a-mile further on you'll reach the Moors National Park Centre.

It makes a good stopping-off point for lunch at the garden Cafe.

The official route then climbs out of Eskdale and up onto the Moors at Danby Beacon.

I chose to follow the valley roads via the hamlet at Houlsyke which are well sign-posted all the way through to the village of  Lealholm.  

This route rewards with great views in all directions.

Moorland Views Between Castleton and Danby.

From here, the path follows a bridleway alongside the River Esk which eventually has you arriving into Glaisdale; the next village down the Dale.

The wild garlic blooming in the shady dells alongside the river added an intoxicating and pungeant aromo to this section of my walk.

The whte flowers are edible and they taste incredibly of very hot garlic.

They'll be good for keeping Drracula at bay if you're staying at Spyglass 1708 in Gothic Whitby!

A Spread of Wild Garlic Besides the River Esk.

It is then a short and well signed posted path through Arncliffe woods to arrive at Egton Bridge.

Follow the Egton Estate Road almost the whole way to the next village at Grosmont.

You'll discover the terminus of the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway here.

The air reverberates to the noise of steam and whistling from the Engines.

Steam Train on the North York Moors Railway (NYMR).

After leaving Grosmont, it is a three-and-a-half mile hike along an ancient stone trod which sees you arrive at Sleights.

Then follow the road alongside the River Esk to arrive into Ruswarp.

I had time for a sit down and a much deserved pint at the Bridge Inn. Very welcome.

The final section passes from Ruswarp alongside the railway line and underneath the huge Victorian-era viduct to reach the end of the route at the old port of Whitby.

The Esk Meets the Sea at the Pier Ends in Whitby.