The Wainstones are a striking jumble of weathered Jurassic sandstone crags crowning the western end of Hasty Bank, the largest such outcrop on the North York Moors. Their castellated pinnacles and buttresses, sculpted from Middle Jurassic Ravenscar Group sandstone (laid down around 170 million years ago and later shaped by Ice Age weathering), are visible for miles across Bilsdale and the Cleveland plain. Walking Stage 13 of the Coast to Coast west to east, you reach them after the switchback escarpment of Carlton Bank, Cringle Moor and Cold Moor; the rocks rear up as if to bar the way, but a short, easy scramble lifts you onto the plateau and the 398 m summit of Hasty Bank before the steep drop to Clay Bank Top. The crag is the most popular climbing venue on the moors, with over a hundred recorded routes and boulder problems. Look closely and you may find Bronze Age cup-and-ring carvings on the surrounding rocks, hinting that this dramatic place held meaning for prehistoric people long before any walker passed through.
Highlights
- Castellated sandstone pinnacles and buttresses — the largest crag group on the North York Moors, seen for miles
- A short, fun hands-on scramble through the boulders, the only such section on the Coast to Coast
- Bronze Age cup-and-ring marks on the surrounding rocks (some sadly obscured by later graffiti)
- Sweeping escarpment views over Bilsdale, the Cleveland plain, Roseberry Topping and the Tees Valley
- One of northern England's best low-level climbing and bouldering crags, busy with climbers year-round
- The flagged Cleveland Way path that doubles as the C2C, with the 398 m / 1,306 ft summit of Hasty Bank just above
At a glance
| Period | Natural landmark |
|---|---|
| Stage | 13 — Osmotherley to Clay Bank Top |
Take care
- Short scramble through the rocks is slippery when wet, icy or greasy — take care with a heavy pack
- Fully exposed ridge with little shelter from wind and weather
- No water, food or facilities between the start of the climb and Clay Bank Top — carry your own
- Patchy mobile signal along the Cleveland Hills escarpment
- Do not deface the prehistoric carvings; some are already lost to modern graffiti
History
The Wainstones have drawn people for thousands of years. Prehistoric cup-and-ring marks — shallow cups, some encircled by carved rings, of a type made in the late Neolithic and Bronze Age — survive on rocks in and around the outcrop, and antiquarians have suggested the dramatic natural pillars may have served as a landmark or ritual monument for early communities. The name is most often read as 'wain', the Old English word for a wagon or cart, which the rocks were once thought to resemble; a long-standing alternative folk etymology takes it as 'stones of lamentation', a notion popularised by the Reverend John Graves in his 1808 History of Cleveland that they were Danish memorial stones marking a slain chieftain. This is unproven. In the modern era the crag became a cradle of North York Moors climbing, and today it carries over a hundred recorded routes and boulder problems. The Coast to Coast walk, devised by Alfred Wainwright in 1973, follows the older Cleveland Way National Trail over Hasty Bank and through the Wainstones for this stretch.
Myth & legend
The name may echo an ancient sorrow: antiquarians traced 'Wainstones' to the Old English 'wanian', to lament — 'stones of lamentation' raised for a Danish chieftain slain in battle on this ridge — though others say the crags simply resembled a wain, or wagon.
Geology
The Wainstones are formed of hard, weather-resistant sandstone of the Middle Jurassic Ravenscar Group (which includes the Saltwick and Cloughton formations), deposited roughly 174–166 million years ago — often rounded to 'around 170 million years old' — when this part of the Cleveland Basin lay on a low coastal plain crossed by great rivers. The surrounding softer mudstones and shales eroded faster, and Ice Age frost-shattering and weathering then sculpted the resistant sandstone into the pillars, buttresses, joints and fissures seen today. Note that older popular accounts calling the rock 'Carboniferous gritstone' are mistaken: the North York Moors escarpment is Jurassic, not Carboniferous.
Wildlife & nature
The crag and the open moorland it sits within support typical Cleveland Hills upland wildlife: heather moorland alive with red grouse and the bubbling call of curlew in spring, meadow pipits, skylarks and wheatears on the tops, and ravens and kestrels riding the updraughts along the escarpment edge. The sandstone faces carry lichens and mosses, and bilberry and crowberry fringe the path. The exposed ridge is bleak and weather-blasted, so wildlife is concentrated in the sheltered combes below.
The view
From the Wainstones the ground falls away dramatically to the north, opening huge views over the flat farmland of the Cleveland plain and the Tees Valley, with the distinctive cone of Roseberry Topping on the horizon. Southward you look down into the green hollow of Bilsdale and back along the scalloped escarpment over Cold Moor and Cringle Moor. The rocks themselves are the photographic draw — gnarled pinnacles that catch low light superbly at dawn and dusk.
Photography
Shoot the pinnacles in early-morning or late-evening side-light, when the sandstone glows warm and the textures stand out; the rocks frame beautifully against the Cleveland plain and a low sun. From just below the crag you can compose the pinnacles with walkers scrambling for scale. For the wider escarpment, the descent toward Clay Bank Top gives a clean profile of Hasty Bank's eroded north face. Sunset from the top is a local favourite.
When to visit
Best walked April to October, when the flagged path is at its driest and daylight is long enough for the switchback day. Late summer (August) brings the heather into purple bloom across the moor. The exposed ridge is fully open to wind and cloud; in winter and in poor visibility the tops can be cold, wet and disorientating, and the scramble through the rocks becomes slippery when wet or iced. There is no seasonal route variant here — the path is the same year-round — but check the day's weather, as this is among the most exposed sections of the North York Moors stages.
Getting there
There is no public transport to the Wainstones directly. The Clay Bank Top road (B1257) at the end of Stage 13 has a small car park and lay-bys and is the usual access and bail-out point; in poor weather you can drop to the B1257 and arrange a pick-up rather than continuing over the moor. Bus services on the B1257 are very limited and seasonal — the summer-Sunday Moorsbus is the main option, so check current timetables. The nearest towns with wider transport links are Stokesley and Great Ayton to the north.
Where to stay
There is no accommodation at the Wainstones themselves. The Stage 13 endpoint is Clay Bank Top, a road pass with no buildings, from where walkers usually take lodging in nearby villages such as Great Broughton and Ingleby Greenhow (B&Bs and a pub), with more choice at Great Ayton and Stokesley a short distance north; some walkers detour to Chop Gate/Bilsdale to the south. Many B&Bs and pubs will collect and drop walkers at the trail by arrangement. Book well ahead in peak season (May to September), as beds along the North York Moors stages are limited. Baggage-transfer services that cover the Coast to Coast can move packs to your Clay Bank-area accommodation.
Food & water
Carry enough water for the whole ridge: this is a dry, exposed high-level section with no reliable water source between the start of the climb and the descent to Clay Bank Top. There is no cafe, shop or tap at the Wainstones. Fill up before leaving Osmotherley (or at the Lord Stones cafe on Carlton Bank earlier in the stage) and treat any moorland water as unreliable.
Safety
The scramble through the Wainstones is short and easy (hands needed in places) but the sandstone is slippery when wet, icy or greasy, so take care, especially with a heavy pack. The whole Hasty Bank ridge is exposed to wind and weather with little shelter. Mobile signal is patchy along the escarpment. In an emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue (Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team covers the northern North York Moors, including this area); for non-urgent medical advice call NHS 111. Climbers should note the crag is unprotected and routes are graded — only the walkers' scramble line is straightforward.
Accessibility
This is rugged upland terrain reached on foot only: a steep, rocky, hands-on scramble through the crag with uneven flagstone and moorland path either side. It is not wheelchair- or buggy-accessible and is unsuitable for those uneasy with short scrambles or exposure. Dogs cope well but should be kept under close control around the crag edges, livestock and ground-nesting birds; the scramble itself may need lifting a smaller dog. The nearest road access is Clay Bank Top.
Visitor tips
Take the short scramble slowly and enjoy it — it's a rare playful moment on the C2C. Detour a few steps off the path to spot the cup-and-ring marks on the surrounding rocks, but don't add to the modern graffiti. The ridge is a long switchback of climbs and descents, so pace yourself and top up water before you start; there's nowhere to refill until Clay Bank Top. Time your arrival for a clear evening if you can — sunset over the Cleveland plain from the pinnacles is unforgettable. If cloud closes in, the flagged path is easy to follow but watch your footing on wet rock.
Listen: the audio guide
The full narration of this stop's audio guide, in text.
The path steepens, the heather falls away, and suddenly you are among giants: a great tumbled heap of dark, weather-carved rock, some of it rearing high above your head, the biggest outcrop on the whole North York Moors. This is the Wainstones. Behind you the Cleveland plain spreads out like a green map to the sea. Ahead, the Coast to Coast threads up through the boulders themselves, and for a few exhilarating minutes you must use your hands as well as your feet. The Wainstones are an outcrop of hard sandstone, a coarse gritstone that caps the high escarpment of the Cleveland Hills at the northern rim of the moors. For millions of years wind, frost and rain have gnawed at this stone, wearing the softer beds away and leaving the tougher blocks standing in the strange, rounded, top-heavy shapes you see around you. The result is the largest crag on the North York Moors, and long a favourite of rock climbers, who come to test themselves on its steep faces. For the Coast to Coast walker it is the dramatic high point of a switchback day spent riding the rollercoaster of the Cleveland escarpment, up and over one steep summit after another along the very edge of the hills. Look for four things as you climb through them. First, the shapes of the rocks themselves, sculpted by the weather into overhangs, clefts and rounded towers, some balanced in ways that look barely possible. Second, look back, north and west, over the great flat sweep of the Cleveland plain and the Tees lowlands beyond, a view that on a clear day runs for many miles toward the distant hills and the sea. Third, watch for the climbers who so often work the faces here, roped and chalked, moving slowly up the vertical rock; give them room and enjoy the spectacle. And fourth, look at the line of the path itself, the way it picks its steep, rocky course straight up through the boulders, a genuine little scramble that is one of the most memorable stretches of the entire crossing. Here is a thing to notice as you go. The word "Wain" is an old English word for a wagon or a cart, the same word you find in the old country name for the constellation we now call the Plough, "Charles's Wain". So these are, in the old tongue, the wagon stones, and you can imagine why: this line of hills, with its high crossing points, was for centuries a route for carts and packhorses moving between the moors and the lowlands. The great rocks stood as landmarks over that ancient traffic, unmissable on the skyline, guiding travellers along the edge just as they guide you now. Every time you read a name like this on the map, you are reading a fragment of the working life of the people who crossed these hills long before there was a footpath with a name. A word on care. This is a real scramble over rock that can be slick in rain and exposed to the wind on the edge, so take your time, test your holds, mind your footing on the steep ground, and in poor visibility keep the path carefully in view. There is no shame in taking the easier line around the worst of the rock if the day is wild; the hills will wait. From the Wainstones the Coast to Coast rides on along the switchback edge and then strikes out east across the wide, empty heather of the high moor, and over the coming miles it carries you toward a lonely, welcome light on the skyline: the Lion Inn on Blakey Ridge, next on your walk. One last look back over the plain, one last scramble down through the boulders, and away across the tops. Walk safe.
Common questions
How old is The Wainstones?
The Wainstones dates from the Natural landmark period.
How do I get to The Wainstones?
There is no public transport to the Wainstones directly. The Clay Bank Top road (B1257) at the end of Stage 13 has a small car park and lay-bys and is the usual access and bail-out point; in poor weather you can drop to the B1257 and arrange a pick-up rather than continuing over the moor. Bus services on the B1257 are very limited and seasonal — the summer-Sunday Moorsbus is the main option, so check current timetables. The nearest towns with wider transport links are Stokesley and Great Ayton to the north.
Is The Wainstones accessible?
This is rugged upland terrain reached on foot only: a steep, rocky, hands-on scramble through the crag with uneven flagstone and moorland path either side. It is not wheelchair- or buggy-accessible and is unsuitable for those uneasy with short scrambles or exposure. Dogs cope well but should be kept under close control around the crag edges, livestock and ground-nesting birds; the scramble itself may need lifting a smaller dog. The nearest road access is Clay Bank Top.
When is the best time to visit The Wainstones?
Best walked April to October, when the flagged path is at its driest and daylight is long enough for the switchback day. Late summer (August) brings the heather into purple bloom across the moor. The exposed ridge is fully open to wind and cloud; in winter and in poor visibility the tops can be cold, wet and disorientating, and the scramble through the rocks becomes slippery when wet or iced. There is no seasonal route variant here — the path is the same year-round — but check the day's weather, as this is among the most exposed sections of the North York Moors stages.
Is there food and water at The Wainstones?
Carry enough water for the whole ridge: this is a dry, exposed high-level section with no reliable water source between the start of the climb and the descent to Clay Bank Top. There is no cafe, shop or tap at the Wainstones. Fill up before leaving Osmotherley (or at the Lord Stones cafe on Carlton Bank earlier in the stage) and treat any moorland water as unreliable.
Where can I stay near The Wainstones?
There is no accommodation at the Wainstones themselves. The Stage 13 endpoint is Clay Bank Top, a road pass with no buildings, from where walkers usually take lodging in nearby villages such as Great Broughton and Ingleby Greenhow (B&Bs and a pub), with more choice at Great Ayton and Stokesley a short distance north; some walkers detour to Chop Gate/Bilsdale to the south. Many B&Bs and pubs will collect and drop walkers at the trail by arrangement. Book well ahead in peak season (May to September), as beds along the North York Moors stages are limited. Baggage-transfer services that cover the Coast to Coast can move packs to your Clay Bank-area accommodation.
What should I know before visiting The Wainstones?
Take the short scramble slowly and enjoy it — it's a rare playful moment on the C2C. Detour a few steps off the path to spot the cup-and-ring marks on the surrounding rocks, but don't add to the modern graffiti. The ridge is a long switchback of climbs and descents, so pace yourself and top up water before you start; there's nowhere to refill until Clay Bank Top. Time your arrival for a clear evening if you can — sunset over the Cleveland plain from the pinnacles is unforgettable. If cloud closes in, the flagged path is easy to follow but watch your footing on wet rock.
Is The Wainstones safe to visit?
The scramble through the Wainstones is short and easy (hands needed in places) but the sandstone is slippery when wet, icy or greasy, so take care, especially with a heavy pack. The whole Hasty Bank ridge is exposed to wind and weather with little shelter. Mobile signal is patchy along the escarpment. In an emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue (Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team covers the northern North York Moors, including this area); for non-urgent medical advice call NHS 111. Climbers should note the crag is unprotected and routes are graded — only the walkers' scramble line is straightforward.
Nearby on the route
Plan the visit
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