Tees Link

The Tees Link is a 17km waymarked path across the Tees Valley linking the Cleveland Way at Highcliff Nab with the Teesdale Way at Middlesbrough Dock. The link also forms part of the E2 European route from Harwich to Stranraer. The Link is useful if you want to plan a route walking part of the Cleveland Way and the Teesdale Way. High Cliff Nab is a spectacular viewpoint looking out over Teesside and the coast. It is also thought to be the site of a Stone Age camp. The Tees Link starts from below the Nab.

The route soon enters Guisborough Forest and Walkway following a now disused railway line. A visitor centre acts a gateway to the forest and trails. After crossing the A171 road another highlight of the walk is Flatts Lane Woodland Country Park. The visitor centre and country park is sited near to former brickworks. It joins onto a disused railway which once served the brickworks. This disused railway line now offers recreational opportunities for walkers. The route later crosses Spencer Beck, an important green link between areas of open space, parks and playing fields, which provides a habitat for local wildlife. After crossing the busy A66 road the route joins the Teesdale Way at Middlesbrough Dock.

Middlesbrough Dock was built in the 1860's as part of the industrial development of Middlesbrough. It enabled coal from the Durham Coalfield and Cleveland iron products to be loaded onto ships and transported around the country. The Dock Tower has clock faces on three sides, but not on the side facing the works, so that the workers would not know the time.

The Tees Link can also be used as part of a longer walk, spanning the Tees Valley from Saltburn to Yarm using part of the Cleveland Way and the Teesdale Way. Saltburn is a Victorian spa town on the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast. It has a lovely beach, Victorian gardens and woodland and coastal walks. Yarm is nestled into a loop of the River Tees and was until the late 18th century the lowest crossing point on the Tees, and by Tudor times was a prosperous port.

There are train stations at Saltburn and Yarm and the route is also well served by local buses, making this Tees Valley walk quite practical. The total distance of this route is 51km (31 miles), so it is a two or three day undertaking.

The Tees Link route is waymarked with the Tees Link logo and route finding is straightforward. Three major roads have to be crossed and care should be taken.

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