Geograph - photograph every grid square

The Black Path follows the railway for much of the distance between Middlesbrough and Redcar. For the sake of completeness it has been designated as part of both the Teesdale Way and more recently the England Coast Path. However, the setting of the path through the industrial and post-industrial landscape of lower Tees-side must surely make it the least attractive section of any National Trail.

At South Bank station, it is not obvious that a 2 km length of the path is closed further east, although details of a diversion are given on two flimsy notices affixed to the fence on the left. The diversion has been imposed since November 2015 during the decommissioning of the old Sahaviriya Steel Industries (SSI) site.

In the background are the Gas Holder and the derelict West Charging Tower of the mothballed South Bank Coke Works (formerly known as the Dorman Long Cleveland Works).