Osmotherley, Cleveland Way and Cod Beck Reservoir
A short loop with serious pedigree - this is where the legendary Lyke Wake Challenge begins - through a proper North York Moors village and around a genuinely peaceful reservoir.
Effort: Moderate distance, manageable climb
Underfoot: Mostly paths and tracks
E2·T1 — how we grade routesAn 8.7km loop from Osmotherley taking in a stretch of the Cleveland Way and a circuit of Cod Beck Reservoir, with 193m of climbing on mostly good moorland path.
A short loop with serious pedigree - this is where the legendary Lyke Wake Challenge begins - through a proper North York Moors village and around a genuinely peaceful 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.
Very limited parking at the reservoir - a clearway operates on the approach road, so don't park on the verge if the car park is full. Otherwise a straightforward, well-used route with no significant hazards.
Safety on this route
- No signal? Text 999 — pre-register first: text register to 999
- Tell someone your route and expected return time before you head out
Leave No Trace
- Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories.
- Please respect the countryside and all its inhabitants.
- Dogs on leads near livestock, and around ground-nesting birds from March to July.
- Gates as you find them — open or closed, leave it that way for the farmer and the next runner.
- Take it all home — wrappers, peel, tissue, the lot. It doesn't count as biodegradable if you can still see it.
- Stick to the path where the ground either side is wet, planted, or nesting habitat.
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