From the Lion Inn on Blakey Ridge, the Coast to Coast continues across the high moors before gradually descending towards the valleys of the eastern North York Moors. The exposed uplands begin to give way to deeper dales, scattered farms and enclosed fields as the route passes through a landscape shaped by moorland, water and centuries of human activity.

The descent brings the route through a succession of contrasting landscapes, from open moor and the head of Great Fryup Dale to the wooded valleys around Glaisdale and Egton Bridge. Historic tracks, old stone crossings, woodland and the River Esk accompany the journey as the character of the walk changes from remote upland to the greener, more sheltered country of the Esk Valley.

The articles below explore the moors, valleys, villages, historic sites and natural features encountered along and around this stage of the Coast to Coast. Together they provide a closer look at the transition from the high North York Moors to Grosmont, where the railway, river and surrounding hills introduce another distinctive landscape before the final journey towards the North Sea.