Its associated club has a social structure, culture and rituals based on the walk and Christian and folklore traditions from the area through which it passes.

Its author, Bill Cowley, described a 40 miles (64 km) walk across the North York Moors from east to west (or vice versa) on heather all the way except for when crossing one or two roads.

Cowley was in the party that made the crossing in 23 hours and he wrote a book, Lyke Wake Walk,[1] which he kept up to date by frequent revision.

[4] His early contributions to the Dalesman, appear in retrospect, to hint at the idea of the walk[5] drawing on his appreciation of the works of the archaeologist Frank Elgee,[6][7] antiquarian and folklore expert Canon John Christopher Atkinson[8] and author and rambler Alfred J.

This route is no longer possible as a section is within the Ministry of Defence controlled area at RAF Fylingdales Early Warning Radar Station.

A summary description of the classic route with photographs is described by Richard Gilbert in his book, The Big Walks[15] and a guidebook is available.

On a west to east crossing, the major ascents and descents occur in the first ten miles when the walker is relatively fresh.

In the first few years, the walk followed a difficult route requiring endeavour and physical endurance as there was no track over most of its length.

From the mid-1970s the walk was re-thought because the numbers of people attempting it had, in places, eroded the ground surface,[19][20][21] and disturbance to game birds, sheep and wildlife by walkers and their support parties at all times of day and night, particularly in Osmotherley, Ravenscar and at remote farms.

Alternative routes are possible and the walk club works with the National Park authority to try to limit environmental damage.

[23] The Lyke Wake Way is a non-challenge alternative from Osmotherley to Ravenscar on public rights of way via locations where accommodation and other facilities are available.

[25][26][27] The walk takes its name from the "Lyke-Wake Dirge", probably Yorkshire's oldest surviving dialect verse,[28] which is about watching over the wake of the corpse (lyke).

[36][37] The physical challenge, possibility of bad weather and difficult conditions make the dirge an appropriate club song.

The club established its own culture and developed traditions based around the dirge, aspects of Cleveland history, superstitions and folklore, and rituals associated with suffering, death, funerals and the after-life that are broadly Yorkshire, northern English and Christian in character, with an acknowledgement of local folklore and the pagan forebears who originally inhabited the moorlands.

Its culture is of solemnity regarding issues of ritual, folklore and mortality but with light-hearted aspects relating to the self-inflicted suffering of participants undertaking the 40-mile (64 km) walk.

[41] The club celebrates walkers who have undertaken multiple crossings with awards called degrees[42] acknowledging their knowledge of the route, the moorland and its culture.

The club designated Cowley as "Chief Dirger" and other officers included a Melancholy Mace Bearer, Harassed Archivists, Melodious Minstrels, a Cheerless Chaplain, a Horrible Horn-blower and an Anxious Almoner.

The possibility of inclusion in future editions together with the use of quotes from some crossing reports became an incentive to those taking on the challenge and inspired correspondents to be inventive and "attain literary heights".

In earlier years signing in/out books were kept at the Queen Catherine Hotel in Osmotherley and at Pollard Cafe in Ravenscar.

[54] Once the route became established as a clear track, the Lyke Wake Club considered the possibility of holding a race.

In 1976, due to moorland fires, the race was run out-and-back, starting in Osmotherley and taking in the first half of the traditional route.