Runswick Bay to Kettleness Circular

Park at the lower (Bank Bottom) car park in Runswick (NZ 809 159), there is a variable charge and 4 hours (£5.80 Oct 2025) should be enough to get you around the walk and back. There is car parking at the top of the bank if this is full, please do not park on the bank road and restrict traffic, the road is very steep.

(S) From the car park head down hill towards the beach, turn right and follow the road/slipway which leads between the rock armour and onto the beach. Now walk along the sands with the sea on your left. Cross a stream which comes from springs in the earth bank and then pass the first compound where boats are stored. Look on the right for a large concrete cube and a wooden post. Cross a second stream to get to the cube.

(1) At the concrete cube/post take a narrow path uphill. You will quickly come to a wooden gate and steps on the left, do not go this way it leads into the garden of a beach hut, instead keep straight ahead and follow the path which leaves the woods and enters open pasture. Pass through four gates as you follow the path to a junction with the disused railway line. This is next to an old railway building which has been converted into a house.

(2) At the junction turn left and walk with the house on your left. You are following the old railway which makes a sweeping loop to the South; you will quickly pass through a metal gate, then as you walk you will go under a stone bridge, then through a second gate, then under three more stone bridges to arrive at a large wooden gate. Down on your left is a smaller wooden gate and the Cleveland Way.

(3) Go through the large wooden gate and continue following the disused railway; on your right are the spoil heaps from the disused Kettleness Mine and down you your left you may see people on the Cleveland Way, this is your return route. After the spoils heaps, keep looking ahead for the pan tile roof of Kettleness Farm and a gate on the left side of the track which leads into a field.

(4) At the gate, go through and into the field, walk rightwards to to a fence next to a stream and follow the path downhill to a metal gate with signposts.

(5) At the metal gate go through and turn left to walk past the farm. Look left for a path which leads behind the farm to some benches and a parking area above Kettleness Sand. (6) This is a nice place to have a half way rest before heading back to the metal gate at (5).

(5) Go through the gate and turn right to follow the Cleveland Way, The path follows the top of the cliffs and affords good views of Runswick Bay. As you walk, pass through three gates to arrive at a wooden gate on your left below the large wooden gates on the railway at (3).

(7) Ignore the gate on the left and continue along the Cleveland Way, the path starts to descend via some steps into a gully containing a stream. At the bottom cross a wooden footbridge and then follow the narrow path across the shale beds and down onto the beach. Turn left and walk along the beach to pass (1) and then to the slipway which leads back to the road and car park (E).

There are no shelters on this walk although the section on the railway line is relatively sheltered from the wind.

The walk is mostly on good tracks and paths and is feasible in approach type shoes or light boots.

Take a wind proof jacket as the wind coming off the sea can be cold.

Tides: Check tides for your walk, when we returned the tide had come in and with some strategic timing between waves and clambering over the rock armour we kept dry feet. If you find the tide in you may have to take your boots off and wade. Tide times can be found here https://www.tideschart.com/United-Kingdom/England/Redcar-and-Cleveland/Runswick-Bay/.

If you want to make your walk longer and add another 10.46Km...

Then check out Sandsend Coastal https://www.visorando.com/en/walk-sandsend-coastal-walk/ which is another 10km walk from Sandsend to Kettleness, you will be able to pick up the loop at Kettleness (6).

At Kettleness you will see a signpost to a pub at Goldsborough 3/4 mile away. Note at the time of writing this is only open Friday and Saturday between 4:00 and 10:00 pm, so if you are tempted for a mid walk snack and go there outside these hours you will be disappointed. It is worth checking their website before you set off in case they have changed their opening hours https://foxandhoundsgoldsborough.co.uk/.