Cycling
The Cinder Track
Twenty-one miles of old railway between Scarborough and Whitby, traffic-free almost the whole way and gently graded because trains do not like hills. It is the biggest traffic-free asset on this coast and the easiest way to ride between the two towns without meeting a car.
Written from what is already published on this site and the sources it cites. I have not yet ridden this one myself. The distance, the gradient and the state of the surface will be checked on the ground, and this note removed, when I do.
Checked against published information on 18 September 2026. Confirm parking charges, trail status and hire before you travel.
Where it runs
The track follows the course of the old Scarborough to Whitby railway for 21 miles along the coast, passing through Ravenscar on the way. From Ravenscar it is roughly five miles to Robin Hood's Bay and eleven to Scarborough, which is the easiest way to think about breaking it into halves or thirds. That is the route at the level this site can honestly describe it: I have not ridden it yet, so there are no turn-by-turn directions here and nothing about how the surface feels under a wheel. Carry the OS sheet if you are heading off the line.
Who it suits
Largely traffic-free and gently graded, which is why it is the route we point families at first. It is also the level return leg of two of the best days out on this coast: the Robin Hood's Bay circular from Ravenscar, which goes out along the Cleveland Way cliffs and comes back along the track, and the walk south from Whitby to Bay Town, where the track is the flat, shaded way home. Dogs do well on it, for the same reasons.
Getting on and off it
Ravenscar is a signed turn off the A171 Whitby to Scarborough road and ends in a dead end at the headland, so there is no through traffic to contend with. Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay and Scarborough all sit at or near the ends of the line, and the track links them without a car, which is worth knowing if you would rather ride one way and travel back.
Bikes and hire
This site does not list a hire operator on the track itself. The bike shops we do write up are inland, on the A170: Big Bear Bikes in Pickering and Northern Ride in Malton, both covered on our cycling page. Check hire and opening directly with them.
Cinder Track FAQs
How long is the Cinder Track?
21 miles, running between Scarborough and Whitby along the old railway line.
Is the Cinder Track traffic-free?
Yes. It follows the former Scarborough to Whitby railway, so it is largely traffic-free and gently graded, which is what makes it one of the best family routes in the area.
Does the Cinder Track go through Ravenscar?
It does. Ravenscar sits on both the Cinder Track and the Cleveland Way, roughly five miles from Robin Hood's Bay and eleven from Scarborough.
Can you walk the Cinder Track as well as ride it?
Yes, and plenty of people do. It is the level return leg of the Robin Hood's Bay circular from Ravenscar, and the flat, shaded way back from Bay Town to Whitby.
Is the Cinder Track good with a dog?
It is one of the routes we point dog owners at, flat and shaded, and it is named as a best dog walk on our Whitby and coast pages.