Walking
Welcome to Stokesley U3A’s Walking Groups. We are ideally placed to take advantage of some lovely countryside, and walking is a healthy and sociable activity enjoyed by many of our members.
To cater for a range of abilities and interests we currently run 3 different groups, described in more detail below. So you can choose a walk (and group!) compatible with your ability and experience to make sure you really enjoy your walk.
We organize Long Walks, Intermediate Walks and Short Walks.Our leaders are experienced walkers and they will take every reasonable care to ensure your safety on the walks. Walking, like many activities, though, has potential hazards so you should be equipped to deal with these. Although our U3A walking groups are covered for Public Liability, the policy is not Personal Accident Insurance.
As a general guideline, for the intermediate and long walks, you can expect rough terrain, ascents and descents, stiles, and probably mud! On the short walks there can also be ascents and descents, stiles and mud. If you are new to walking, or are thinking of moving up a group, we recommend that you follow the links below, to the Ramblers website – they will give you essential information on walking safely and on the type of equipment you will need. For more information on walking safely, take a look at
http://www.ramblers.org.uk/info/practical/safety
http://www.ramblers.org.uk/info/practical/gear
At the present time, we regret that dogs are not permitted on the walks. For the intermediate and long walks, you should bring a drink and a snack/meal, since refreshment facilities are generally not available on the routes. The short walks usually avail themselves of refreshments at a local hostelry or café .
It is essential to contact the leader before the walk so that we know what numbers we will have and can plan how best to handle the walk. Especially if the weather is bad, cancellations or changes may be needed. And, if we know you are expected, we are more likely to wait for you to arrive at the start if you get delayed. Because of pressure on parking, we suggest car-sharing if possible – and with the current cost of fuel, we think it makes good sense!
Short Walks
Short walks (up to 4 miles) take place on the second and fourth Fridays of each month, and are usually led by Bryn and Jackie.For safety reasons, walks are limited to 24 participants. If you would like to go, phone Bryn or Jackie (or whoever is leading) between 9 - 9.30 a.m. on the day of the walk to book your place. Once 24 people have booked, the walk will be closed to further participants.
Short walks start at 10.30 a.m. promptly, are usually 'circular', and often finish up near a pub or café where lunch can be taken if you wish to join us.
| May 10 | Newton under Roseberry – Park in the Kings Head car park. Option of pub lunch. |
| May 24 | Great Ayton. Meet at the Tourist Information Centre car park. Option of café or pub lunch. Walk led by Phil. |
| June 14 | Runswick Bay. Meet in public car park at the top of the hill – opposite Cliffemount Hotel (Pay & Display). Option of café or pub lunch. |
| June 28 | Meet at Saltburn. Park in the public car park at the bottom of Valley Gardens (over the river before the Ship Inn). (Pay & Display). Option of pub lunch. |
| July 12 | Blackhall Rocks – turn right at traffic lights at cross roads in Blackhall Rocks (Pieroni’s Corner shop) into Station Road. Continue under railway bridge and turn right to car park. Option of pub lunch. |
| July 26 | Ainthorpe - meet at the Fox & Hounds Inn - Option of pub lunch. |
Intermediate Walks
Intermediate walks (5-7 miles) are aimed at bridging the gap between the short and long walks. Walks are on the second Thursday of the month. They will involve stiles and rough terrain, so are more strenuous than the short walks. Please bring a packed lunch and hot/cold drinks since there are often no establishments offering refreshments on our routes.
The next intermediate walk will start at 10.30 a.m. on May 9th, at the Bay Horse, Great Broughton. The walk will be led by Phil and Beranice. The walk follows the track at the rear of the pub towards Broughton Banks Farm. From there we take the track to the left towards Broughton Plantation. We ascend until we reach the junction with the forest path and then continue up a fairly steep bank until we reach another forest path. Then we turn right and proceed to Wainstone Way. From here we have the choice as to whether to ascend onto the Cleveland Way and over the top of the hill next to the Wainstones, or to turn right along Wainstone Way. Either choice and we eventually arrive at the top of Kirby Bank. We then descend towards Kirby, take the path just before the crossroad in Kirby and make our way back to the Bay Horse. The first alternative involves a total ascent/descent of about 250 metres; the latter one of about 360 metres. The distance is around 5.5/5.8 miles, respectively.
Long Walks
Long walks (usually 8+ miles) take place on the first Friday of each month, and on the third Friday if a leader can be found. Details of the walk are usually circulated by email a week or two before the walk. We take a packed lunch and hot/cold drinks so that we can stop at a convenient point for a break.
The next long walk will be on May 3rd at 10 a.m. The walk starts and ends at High Knowle Farm near the Druid's Temple west of Masham, marked on the map down a track off an unclassified road. That road is tarred and at the start of the farm track is a notice saying "Druid's temple car park". This is where we park, and it is the teaplace. The best way to get there is probably from Masham via Fearby and them south at the school and over the River Burn at the bottom of the hill, but the routes past Swinton Park will do as well.
The walk is about 9 miles long and the diversion to see the Druid's Temple (not druidic really) is probably extra. We should therefore do it at the start of the walk. We then go northwestwards towards Leighton, past the reservoir and up on to the moorland . We then go along to Ilton and down to Sole Beck and have a pull up to High Knowle. So there are 2 descents and climbs but the terrain is good throughout. Please let Marjorie know if you will be walking.
The Long walks group is now closed to new members, and anyone wishing to join should contact the leader to be put on the waiting list. We are looking at options with regard to setting up a second Long walks group. One option is that such a group would do the same walk as the first group, but at a different time. Setting up such a group is contingent on us finding a co-ordinator for the new group.