Sheepwash, old drove road to Chequers, down into Oakdale, Osmotherley, Cleveland Way through Arncliffe Wood and back to Sheepwash.

Some people start and finish this walk in Osmotherley, which has two distinct disadvantages – it helps to clog up the village even more with cars, and it means the pubs are at the end rather than in the middle.

Park in one of the bays next to Cod Beck on the Osmotherley to Swainby road (get there early – it gets busy), and follow the road north-ish until it turns sharp left. You turn sharp right up a climbing track called High Lane, and stay on this for just under a couple of miles until you join the road to Hawnby, passing the Chequers Farm and tea room on your left.

Follow the road on its grass verge for a mile or so, and when it turns left near a remote car park used by mountain bikers and walkers and with the mass of Black Hambleton in front of you, turn right down a footpath which is part of the Cleveland Way. Take care down a stepped, winding path into Oakdale, and watch out for adders … we saw one sunning itself on the path’s sto0ne slabs one sunny morning.

After going through a small wood you’ll pass a small reservoir on your left. On another occasion, there were a number of vehicles parked here next to the track … four-wheel drives used by shooters after the many dangerous wild pheasant and grouse that live on the moors in these parts. We once saw some blokes going through the bracken weaving white flags etc to frighten the birds so they take off to get shot.

What sport. What fun.

Size isn't everything: Oakdale Reservoir, near Osmotherley.

After the reservoir and a house on the right with mad barking dogs, cross a bridge and, with a second reservoir to your left, follow the track as it curves up to your right to meet the Hawnby road. Turn left then sharp right next to a house with a rock garden, and climb the hedged track to a farm gate on your left.  Follow the signs to go left past Whitehouse Farm and stay on the path as it drops into a small valley and then climbs again through trees, crosses a couple of fields and emerges in the “suburbs” of Osmotherley. Cross the road and take the path between houses into the middle of the village – the Queen Catherine is on your left, the Golden Lion (Timothy Taylor Landlord) on your right.

After refreshments, take the road to Swainby and climb out of Osmotherley. Ignore the first footpath on your left, just after the post office, and take the next one, which is the Cleveland Way, and follow it as it climbs, gently at first, the contours. There’s a detour to the right to see Lady’s Chapel (a sort of chapel … for ladies), but when the path split at some woods, fork right and follow the Cleveland Way on a stiffer climb through the trees. You’ll eventually emerge at a mobile phone/TV relay station, where the path bears right to give views of the Cleveland Hills as they curve away towards Roseberry Topping.

Follow the path as it drops down and when it crosses the Swainby road, turn right to walk back to Sheepwash on the path next to the road.