Spectacular views uploaded of entire North York Moors route

A seasonal stroll to walk off the excesses of the Christmas season is now even easier to plan through the glorious North York Moors countryside.
The whole of the Cleveland Way is now documented online in glorious 360 degree views.The whole of the Cleveland Way is now documented online in glorious 360 degree views.
The whole of the Cleveland Way is now documented online in glorious 360 degree views.

Volunteers have spent months capturing footage along the Cleveland Way National Trail to give access via computer screens to 360-degree views all along the route’s full 109-mile length.

The trail, which is the longest route crossing the North York Moors National Park, is now documented on Google Street View via the National Trail website following a mapping exercise by the local national park authority.

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Specially adapted elongated camera and computer equipment was mounted in a backpack as part of the Google Trekker loan program.

The 23kg stash was carried for the equivalent of 13 full days by members of the Hardmoors ultra-running team to gather all the footage necessary to document the entire route from Helmsley across the North York Moors to Saltburn-by-the-Sea, before re-entering the National Park and then following the coastline down to Filey.

The image sequence was stitched together to provide web users with panoramic vistas and the virtual tour features the route’s moorland in full, purple bloom.

Malcolm Hodgson, national trails officer at the North York Moors National Park Authority, said: “Taking a virtual tour of the trail not only showcases the beauty of the Cleveland Way but it can also be a valuable planning tool, particularly giving reassurance to novice walkers when they’re looking to stride out on a section of the route.

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“Local businesses can also benefit as they can use the images on Street View to help provide directions and information for visitors.”

The virtual tour also shows the section of the trail that opened in the summer as part of the England Coast Path launch, the scene from Sutton Bank known as “the finest in England” and the sandstone crags known as the Wainstones towards the north western edge of the National Park, plus views from the Moors’ highest point, Urra Moor, and of Rievaulx and Whitby abbeys.