I used to visit Kettleness with the cubs and scouts in the 80’s/90’s. Staying at an old ex-train station building, right by the coast and a spooky derelict church. So time to pay the place a visit and reminisce.
This expedition involved parking at Runswick Bay and heading south, down the beach and then up to the cliff tops to Kettleness. Have a bit of a reminisce on how much smaller the building seems and head a bit further down the coast. Then head back on an inland path through Goldsborough for a change of scenery.
The route does involve a bit of beach walking so check those tide times!
Parking at the usual Runswick Bay parking spot at Bank Bottom Car Park and heading downhill following the road to the right to the beach.
Just a short distance from the car park the road stops and the beach starts.
Travel south along the beach. There are a few caves in the cliffs to the right but beware or falling debris.
Keep heading along the beach for around half a mile, there’s a path up to the top of the cliff. This is part of the Cleveland Way with some slippery rocks at the start and a lot of uphill to come.
Then stairs…
…stairs…
…and more stairs.
At the top, whilst you recover from all the stairs, take in the views at the top. Here, looking back at Runswick Bay and the journey so far.
Head east along the clifftops. following the Cleveland Way through Kettleness Farm, to Kettleness. This pic has the farm and Kettleness on the horizon.
What was once an old train station, was a weekend away with the cubs n scouts for me. I always remembered the building as being huge and imposing in the middle of nowhere and near the cliffs.
On our visits with the scouts we’d sometimes explore this derelict church, now looking less derelict and like it’s being used.
After the little detour inland to Kettleness for a bit of reminiscing it was time to get back on the Cleveland Way and head further east along the clifftops.
After a couple of miles at this sign, turn right, off the Cleveland Way, and head inland following a footpath past Overdale Farm.
Then a quiet road through Goldsborough for around a mile, until the road turns to the right with a footpath sign and a stile pointing straight ahead. This is where we leave the road and follow the footpath.
Continue along the footpath through a few fields until you get to an old railway bridge. From here you can see how close we are back to Runswick Bay.
With a view of the old railway route, this direction heading back to Kettleness.
Just after the bridge you join the footpath we clambered up, back down to the beach. Enjoy all those stairs this time, they’re downhill!
One final view of the beach and bay before a short uphill climb to the car park and Tiggy.
