Malcolm Hodgson and Kyle Boote with the official Cleveland Way ale

Britain’s second-oldest national trail is to get an official brew, with sales of the beer helping to maintain the route.

Keen walker and Helmsley Brewing Company founder Kyle Boote is planning to hike along the Cleveland Way to a beer festival where the Striding the Riding ale will be launched.

The brewery will make a donation from the sale of each cask to contribute to the upkeep and promotion of the trail, which follows a 175km (109-mile) horseshoe-shaped route around the North York Moors national park.

The appropriately named Mr Boote said: “I want to create a range of distinctive beers that reflect their local roots, plus the latest in beer ingredients and recipe design.

“Striding the Riding will contain four different hops which will be added at four different stages. Walking on the Cleveland Way is a great stress buster after a busy week brewing and it will be even more satisfying knowing I am helping in some way to care for this special place.”

The 4 per cent pale ale will initially be available on tap from the brewery’s bar in Helmsley, but it is hoped that some of the 40-plus pubs along the route of the Cleveland Way will also serve it to their customers. Plans for a bottled version of the beer are also in the pipeline. A donation will be made for the trail’s upkeep with every cask sold.

It will be promoted as the official beer of the Cleveland Way and its branding will carry the national trail acorn symbol. The design for the labels and pump clips will also incorporate the varied scenery found along the Cleveland Way including moorland, coast and dales.

Walkers on the Cleveland Way, which ends on the North Yorkshire coast. Photo: Chris J Parker

Malcolm Hodgson, national trails officer for the Cleveland Way and Yorkshire Wolds Way, said: “I’m really excited about this venture. I’ve been known to sample a pint or two of real ale in my spare time so when a conversation with Kyle revealed that his hobby was walking, it seemed a perfect match.

“It’s always nice to reward yourself after a good walk and what better way than with a glass of beer inspired by the very route you’ve been enjoying? Not only does Striding the Riding taste great, but you’ll be helping to give something back to the local landscape too.”

The brew’s official launch will be at the Guisborough Beer Festival on Saturday 11 April.

The Cleveland Way is Britain’s second oldest national trail and starts in the market town of Helmsley, finishing on the coast at Filey. It is well used by walkers who either walk it in its entirety – it takes about nine days to walk from end to end – or use part of it to create a circular walk of varying lengths.

The Cleveland Way is becoming increasingly popular with trail runners. The fastest official completion time is 20hrs 59mins, set by Neil Ridsdale in 2011 as part of the Hardmoors 110 Ultrarun.