Why the Cleveland Way works for young walkers

The Cleveland Way runs for well over a hundred miles across the North York Moors and down the Yorkshire coast, but you do not need to tackle it end to end to enjoy it. The coastal half is broken into short, well-signed sections, and several can be walked in a couple of hours with a pushchair, a picnic and a pocketful of snacks. The trick is knowing which stretches are flat and grassy, which have a pub or a loo at either end, and where the going gets too steep for little legs.

What follows are the family-friendly stretches I recommend most often, running from Saltburn in the north down to Filey in the south. All are waymarked with the Cleveland Way acorn symbol, and all have parking within easy reach.

The easy opener: Saltburn and Huntcliff

Start at Saltburn's promenade, where the Victorian cliff lift still carries passengers up and down the cliff face — the ride alone is worth the trip for small children. The promenade and the lower path towards the pier are level and pushchair-friendly, with toilets and cafés a short hop away.

For a proper walk, head west along the clifftop towards Huntcliff. It is roughly two miles each way on a wide, mostly level path with grassy verges, and the reward at the far end is a stretch of turf above the remains of a Roman signal station. Keep children back from unfenced cliff edges, and take binoculars: fulmars nest on the ledges below, and gannets pass offshore in late summer.

Staithes, Port Mulgrave and Runswick Bay

Staithes is one of the prettiest villages on the coast, but note the climb out of the harbour before you commit small walkers to it. The clifftop path to Port Mulgrave is about a mile and a half of rolling grassland, with wide sea views and plenty of places to stop. Port Mulgrave itself has a steep, rough path down to a rocky beach — fine for confident older children, not for pushchairs.

For an easier half-day, base yourself at Runswick Bay, where a gently sloping path leads to a broad sandy beach with rock pools at low tide. The onward clifftop section towards Kettleness is beautiful but narrow and uneven after rain; save it for a dry day and children who can manage a few steep steps.

Ravenscar, Boggle Hole and the Cinder Track

Ravenscar is a superb family base. The clifftop path south to Boggle Hole is about two miles, with seabirds on the cliffs, the ruins of old alum works to explore, and grey seals often hauled out on the rocks below. Boggle Hole sits in a wooded ravine with a stream running down to the sea — a natural stopping point for a paddle and a sandwich.

If pushchairs or tired legs are in the party, use the Cinder Track instead. This former railway line runs flat and wide from Ravenscar all the way to Robin Hood's Bay, roughly five miles, and takes bikes and buggies with ease. Walk it one way and catch the bus back in summer.

Robin Hood's Bay and Filey Brigg

Robin Hood's Bay is all narrow alleys and steep steps, which is charming but hard work with a buggy. Leave the pushchair at the top of the village and walk down; the beach below is a superb spot for rock pooling, and the surrounding rocks are full of fossils.

At the southern end of the Way, Filey Brigg juts into the sea like a stone finger. The clifftop path from Filey's country park is level and grassy, roughly a mile each way, and in autumn the Brigg is a fine place to watch seals and wading birds. It is also one of the best fossil-hunting beaches in Yorkshire — ammonites and belemnites turn up regularly in the pebbles.

Practicalities for a coastal day out

• Tides: the North Sea tide comes in fast, particularly at Filey, Runswick and Boggle Hole. Check a tide table before setting off and never let children explore beyond a headland they cannot walk back around.
• Footwear: clifftop paths can be muddy year-round. Trainers with grip are fine in summer; waterproof boots are better between October and March.
• Pushchairs: the Cinder Track, Saltburn promenade and the Filey clifftop path are your best bets. Most other sections involve steps or steep gradients.
• Refreshments: village pubs and cafés cluster at Saltburn, Staithes, Runswick Bay, Ravenscar, Robin Hood's Bay and Filey, so you are rarely more than a couple of miles from a hot drink and a toilet.
• Wildlife: bring binoculars. Kittiwakes, fulmars, guillemots and the occasional puffin nest on the cliffs between April and July, while seals are best seen in autumn and winter.

Pack layers whatever the forecast says. The coast here is a good few degrees cooler than inland, and sea fret can roll in within minutes, turning a sunny afternoon grey and damp.