The terrain is a mixture of trail and pavement. Much of the first half is trail with most of the remaining half on pavements. Comfortable walking boots or trail trainers would be recommended for this walk. It is either flat, or gentle ups and downs, with one steeper section just before the half-way point.

The 17-mile trail includes 1,231ft of elevation gain with the highest point being 575ft above sea level and the lowest point being sea level along Scarborough seafront.

Facilities along the route include Morrisons supermarket, bus stops and Seamer Railway Station, shops like One Stop in Crossgates and all the food, drink and public toilets you could wish for, along the seafront!

The quality of paths is generally excellent, from the pavements in town, to the footpaths in the countryside. The most challenging section is probably the downhill stretch from Seamer Beacon to Throxenby Mere which is uneven in places and can be a little muddy after rain.

For anyone with a reasonable level of walking fitness, it's a very attainable challenge. And, despite passing through rural areas, Scarborough and public transport is never far away as the trail goes through or around the edge of the town. The one steep ascent is from Seamer Road up onto the hill near Jacob's Mount, but even that is split into two parts.

To give you an idea of what the walk involves and the area is covers, here is a fly-through of the route. 

Here's a direct link to our Scarborough 7 Lakes Walk, using Ordnance Survey.

It's worth taking a rucksack with food, drink and waterproof clothing. A spare fleece too. A physical Ordnance Survey map is never a bad idea, in case your phone battery dies. And depending on your departure time, or time of year, a head torch is useful too, but always pack spare batteries! Although you're either in town or never far away from town, it's always good to be prepared. After all it's still a 17-mile walk.