Clain Wood, Scugdale, Coast to Coast
Entrance to Claim Wood from the Coast to Coast path at Scarth Nick
Clain Wood, Scugdale, Coast to Coast
Clain Wood is a mixed conifer and deciduous woodland at the foot of Whorlton Moor, one mile from the town of Swainby at the foot of the North York Moors. The Coast to Coast path, Cleveland Way and the Lyke Wake Walk each share a route through the woodland. Wooden posts and wayside stones indicate the route, the Cleveland Way with its white Acorn on black, the Coast to Coast with a blue arrow on white and the Lyke Wake with LWW stone inscriptions.
The western part of the woodland is in an area known as Coalmire, probably so named because of its proximity to a disused mine on the north extremity of Clain Wood, immediately south of Coalmire Lane. Five good tracks lead north west to south east though the length of the Wood, the north most being a disused railway within the Scugdale Valley.
The Coast to Coast entrance to Claim Wood leaves Scarth Wood Moor near to a tumulus and crosses the ancient highway known as the Drover's Road. Less than a mile south along the Drover's Road is Sheep Wash, a picnic area to which thousands of visitors are attracted. The Wood begins on the opposite side of the Drover's Road.
Clain Wood
Clain Wood is in the parish of Whorlton, close to Swainby. The upper section of the woodland is part of a private estate. The public route through the wood is shared by three footpaths, i.e. Coast to Coast, Cleveland Way and Lyke Wake Walk. The Woodland is particularly attractive near its north eastern end where it fringes the Scugdale Beck before crossing fields to the beck's ford near Hollin Hill and Swine Park.
Clain Wood
The dappled interior of Clain Wood is picturesque and its penetration on a sunny day is instantly refreshing. The route shared by the Coast to Coast path is not dark and murky as many conifer woods are, and the area convenient to the path is for the most part a mixed deciduous wood with plenty of space between the trees.
Three Long Distance Paths
At a footpath intersection in Clain Wood there are markers for three major footpaths. The Cleveland Way is shown as a white acorn on a black background; the Coast to Coast as a blue arrow on a white background; and the Lyke Wake Walk as inscribed initials LWW.
Bill Cowley Memorial Stone
There is a memorial stone in memory of Bill Cowley on the woodland path near to where it drops down to a dismantled railway before turning south east. Bill Cowley created the Lyke Wake Walk, which is a challenge route starting at Osmotherley and finishing at Ravenscar, i.e. a west to east traverse of the North York Moors.
Scugdale Meadow
The Coast to Coast path departs Clain Wood on a path that breaks off towards Hollin Hill Farm and Scugdale, crossing a lush meadow to aim for the deciduous tree line that surrounds Scugdale beck.
Coast to Coast Trail Guide
Hiking the Coast to Coast
"Hiking the Coast to Coast" is a digitally enhanced eBook available from Apple Books for all people who have either a Mac, an iPhone or an iPad, and is designed to accompany you on your walk of the Coast to Coast path. The trail guide contains Ordnance Survey maps and other advanced mapping features, step by step directions, hundreds of colour photographs, details of the route, its conditions in different weather and research snippets relating to places of interest along the way.
