Osmotherley, Cleveland Way and Cod Beck Reservoir

The route

Osmotherley is a good-looking stone village on the western edge of the North York Moors, and this loop heads straight out onto the moor via a stretch of the Cleveland Way before dropping down to Cod Beck Reservoir. The reservoir circuit is quiet and well shaded in places, a contrast to the open moor above, and makes a natural halfway point before climbing back towards the village.

Scarth Wood Moor

The trig point on Scarth Wood Moor above the village marks the traditional start point for the Lyke Wake crossing of the North York Moors, first completed in 1955 by the Lyke Wake Club and now a genuine institution among long-distance runners - the Sheepwash car park at the top of Cod Beck is the actual starting point used by the modern Lyke Wake Challenge event. Worth a thought as you pass through, even on a route a fraction of that distance.

Why it works

At 8.7km with 193m of ascent, this is an easy, approachable loop that still gets you onto genuine moorland and past a landmark with real history behind it. It's a good short session in its own right, or a warm-up the day before tackling something longer elsewhere in the Moors.

Getting there

Parking at Cod Beck itself is very limited, and a clearway is in force nearby, so don't be tempted to leave a car on the verge if the small car park is full - use the village instead. Osmotherley's own car parking is a short, easy distance from the start of the loop, and using it rather than squeezing into Sheepwash also means less disruption for the handful of houses along that quiet stretch of moorland road on the approach to the reservoir from the village.