The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Egton

The path through East Arnecliff Wood is a delightful way to link the pretty Esk Valley villages of Glaisdale and Egton Bridge. It features on the Esk Valley Walk, a 37-mile (60 km) long-distance trail that explores the full length of this delightful valley from its source high in the moors to the North Sea at Whitby.

God, whom we encounter here at a small sacred monument called "Mauley Cross," is not only a topic in theological books; many other authors also repeatedly address him in secular literature. Giovanni Guareschi, with his "invention" of Don Camillo, who converses with the crucified Christ at the high altar, is a very prominent example of this. Even in many crime novels, monks or priests are woven into the plots and naturally bring a spiritual perspective on God and humanity. This is also the case several times in the crime series about the "Healer of Canterbury," published under the pseudonym Celia L. Grace, which the author has set in 15th-century England. In one of these stories, titled "The Poisoners' Feast," Father Clement (the local priest of a village plagued by a series of murders) speaks generally about his parishioners: "May the Lord have mercy on us all. They are good people, they are generous, they attend Mass, they try to live good lives, it's just..." he peered into the darkness. "It's as if things go wrong because they go wrong, Mistress. That's what Augustine said, wasn't it? We want God, we pursue what is good, but we are never in balance with ourselves, not with our neighbors, not with the world, and not with God." (Celia L. Grace, "The Poisoners' Feast") Perhaps a brief rest before this small sacred monument offers those lingering here the opportunity to regain a little more balance with themselves, with their neighbors and the rest of the world, but above all with God—the Lord of heaven and earth.

Unique for its 1835 George Stephenson tunnel and its role as both a working engine shed and a visitor hub, the station is quite spectacular even on a dreary winter's day when there are no events on and no locomotives in the station. A flashback to the mid-twentieth century.

Grosmont Bridge over the River Esk is a fascinating cluster of crossings — a stone road bridge, a footbridge, and a ford — each reflecting a different layer of local history and use. The stone road bridge was built in the 19th century, constructed in local sandstone, with a traditional arch design, it reflects the engineering style of the turnpike era when reliable river crossings were essential for trade and travel. It became especially important with the arrival of the Whitby–Pickering railway (1836), as Grosmont grew into a hub for ironstone mining and rail transport. The footbridge should not be missed - very narrow and quite long and high up. There is also a ford that predates both bridges.

The Toll Cottage (sometimes referred to as the gatehouse) is linked to the Egton Manor estate, which is Grade II listed and dates to the 18th–19th centuries. This reflects the wider turnpike movement in Yorkshire, when landowners invested in better roads and recouped costs through tolls. Egton Bridge itself was a key crossing on the River Esk, and the toll road linked inland moorland communities with Whitby’s port, vital for trade in alum, jet, and agricultural goods.

An ancient pathway, likely dating back centuries, and was traditionally used by monks traveling between Whitby Abbey and other monastic sites. The path is characterized by stone slabs and offers scenic views, particularly as it descends into the Esk Valley. The route is not entirely slippery old stone slabs, some sections of the gravel track running alongside the slabs have been renovated. Fairly easy footing along the entire route.

A great glimpse of the River Esk as you follow Monks' Trod through East Arncliffe Wood.

excellent walk, it was a little wet when we did the walk so was glad to have a walking pole at times on some decents.