I am pleased to report that the old railway line between Slapewath and Boosbeck which forms part of the new NCN168 has now been finished.

Project undertaken. 
The old railway line has been closed since 1885. The route had been obstucted by farmers fields and fences. It has now been reopened as a public right of way.

New drainage had to be laid within an area occupied by large ponds full of wildlife and birds, indeed a beautiful point on the trail to observe.

New hard stone with cinder dressing has been laid along the full length of the track to Boosbeck from behind the Fox and Hounds (Slapewath). The infrared counter has already clocked up 4,000 journeys along the track in a month even during the track laying.

This then gives continuance of the Guisborough forest railway from Pinchinthorpe-Hutton Village through to Boosbeck in the East of Cleveland, a total of 5.2 miles of off road track and cycle path (see map above).

Naturally all this great news, being that the NCN 168 will form the completion of the third project of the Redcar Rangers in promoting the advancement of walking and cycling communication within Redcar & Cleveland. (See completion of 1 & 2 below)

1. Relaying the track between Saltburn & Marske by sea, resigning and the provisioning of intense Ranger activity along this section (Thanks to Ranger Richard Mann) being completed over a distance of one mile and has included the removal of hundreds of bags of Fly-Tipping from Hazel Grove Beck, weekly dog fowl litter collections (The dog fowling amounted to 182 fouls a week, this is now down to around 50 a week). Matter arising on this section of the NCN 1

  • Removal of the broken pinch point to allow disabled access on the Saltburn-Marske boundary line.

  • Remove very old 1960's pinch point on the old cattle arch tunnel to allow disable access onto the NCN1

  • Provisioning of lighting along this section of the NCN1: Usage in 2011 is projected as 50,000 cycle journeys 28% up on last year with foot traffic estimated to be at least 350,000. We had our first ever mugging of a 50 year old cyclist last week on this section of the track.
2. Nearing completion, the rerouting of the NCN1 away from the Eston Greenway down Birchington Ave, signing near completion. (Part two of this project will be to use the track behind South Lackenby being 1.25 miles of off road access south to north on the NCN1 away from Birchington Ave: time anticipated 48 mouths to achieve)

Small beginnings from 18 mouths work, thanks to Rupert Douglas, Neil Mitchell, Dave Stevens and Mike Dagley's for their guidance, not forgetting the Redcar & Cleveland Council input.