Yorkshire Moors

Walks

Esk Valley to Grosmont

By Jon Cosson · Updated 6 October 2026

The walk for a day when you would rather not walk back. Follow the river inland from the coast to Grosmont and come back by train, or do it the other way round and walk with the water. Mostly level, with shade and water along the river the whole way.

The walk at a glance

Distance
8 miles; About 8 miles between Whitby and Grosmont on the final stage of the Esk Valley Walk. Published distances for the same stretch vary a little, from 7.1 miles (11.5 km) per GPS Routes to 12.9 km per Outdooractive
Ascent
Outdooractive gives about 191 m of climb and 238 m of descent walking Grosmont to Whitby. Walked the other way, inland from Whitby, those figures swap round
Time
About 3 hours 20 minutes one way, per Outdooractive
Difficulty
Mostly level, with shade and water along the river
Start & parking
Grosmont National Park car park, Front Street (the NYMR station car park is pay and display); Whitby, or Grosmont if you walk it in reverse; £3.90 up to 2 hours; £6.20 over 2 hours (non-transferable); coaches £7.50 (National Park tariff); nearest postcode YO22 5QE
Dogs
Mostly level, with shade and water along the river. Dogs travel free on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, though space is limited.
Toilets
On the corner of Front Street and Waterloo, accessible with a RADAR key
Public transport
No bus stated. Esk Valley Railway from Middlesbrough or Whitby, and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway; walk one way and come back by train. Check times before you travel.
Find walks like this

Opens the walk finder with this walk’s length and effort already set.

About this route

Route compiled from Ordnance Survey mapping and the published sources below. Parking, grid reference and transport details checked on 6 October 2026. If you walk it and find a change, use the contact page.

  • GPS Routes
  • Outdooractive
  • North Yorkshire Moors Railway
  • https://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/places-to-go/grosmont
  • https://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/plan-your-visit/car-parks-and-toilets/car-park-list

Distance notes: About 8 miles between Whitby and Grosmont on the final stage of the Esk Valley Walk. Published distances for the same stretch vary a little, from 7.1 miles (11.5 km) per GPS Routes to 12.9 km per Outdooractive.

Ascent: Outdooractive gives about 191 m of climb and 238 m of descent walking Grosmont to Whitby. Walked the other way, inland from Whitby, those figures swap round.

Area map

Whitby area; the walk also works in reverse from Grosmont. This map shows the area, not a verified route line.

The route in outline

Follow the river inland and come back by train, or take the train out and walk back down the valley. It is mostly level, with shade and water along the river. Carry the OS sheet and check the train times before you commit to a one-way day.

The train half

Grosmont is the working heart of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where you can watch the locomotives being turned, and it sits on the Esk Valley line too. Services are seasonal on the heritage railway, so confirm what is running before you plan a walk around catching one.

Walking it with a dog

A good one for dogs: mostly level, with shade and water along the river. Dogs travel free on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, though space is limited, so aim for a quieter service. More in our dog-friendly guide.

Esk Valley to Grosmont walk FAQs

Can you walk one way and come back by train?

Yes, that is the point of this one. Follow the river inland and return by train, or take the train out and walk back.

Is the Esk Valley walk hilly?

It is mostly level, following the river, with shade and water along the way.

Can dogs travel on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway?

Yes, dogs travel free on the railway, though space is limited, so it is worth planning around a quieter service.

More North York Moors questions? See the full FAQ →

Stay in the Esk Valley

Whitby at the seaward end, Grosmont and the valley villages inland.

Browse places to stay

Top answers for the Yorkshire Moors

All questions in the full FAQ hub →

Quick, straight answers to the questions visitors ask most. Each one links through to the fuller guide.

What are the best easy or family-friendly walks?

The Farndale daffodil walk (spring), the level paths around Sutton Bank and the Kilburn White Horse, the Goathland-to-Grosmont rail trail, and gentle riverside strolls at Thornton-le-Dale.

Walks on the moors →

What are the Hole of Horcum, Roseberry Topping and the Cleveland Way?

The Hole of Horcum is a vast natural amphitheatre about 400 ft deep off the A169; Roseberry Topping is the distinctive 320 m "Yorkshire Matterhorn" near Great Ayton; the Cleveland Way is the 109-mile National Trail looping from Helmsley around the moors to the coast.

Walks on the moors →

Are the North York Moors good for walking, and where are the best walks?

Outstanding, over 1,400 miles of paths, from the 109-mile Cleveland Way (Helmsley to Filey) to countless short circuits. Classics include the Hole of Horcum, Roseberry Topping, Mallyan Spout at Goathland and the Helmsley–Rievaulx Abbey walk.

Walks on the moors →

What is the highest point in the North York Moors?

Round Hill on Urra Moor, at 454 metres (1,490 feet). It sits on the Cleveland Way and the Lyke Wake Walk above Bilsdale, and the usual approach is the roughly three-kilometre climb from the Clay Bank car park.

Walks on the moors →

What are the best viewpoints in the North York Moors?

Sutton Bank ("the finest view in England"), the Hole of Horcum, Roseberry Topping, the Blakey Ridge road across the high moor, and the cliff tops of the Cleveland Way on the coast.

Walks on the moors →

Where are the best photography spots for sunrise and sunset?

Sutton Bank and the Kilburn White Horse for sunset over the Vale of York, the heather moors and the Hole of Horcum in late summer, Whitby Abbey and harbour, and Roseberry Topping at dawn.

Walks on the moors →