Roseberry Topping
Newton-under-Roseberry
For a stiff walk – all right, let's face it, climb – and fantastic views, it has to be Roseberry Topping, the iconic hill and cliff that towers above Great Ayton in the far west of the North York Moors. It's 1,049 feet high, which is perhaps not so high, but its singular outline makes it an unmissable landmark, and the zig-zag walk to the top is a real thrill. This is not your classic moorland scenery, but rather an outlying peak on the Cleveland plain, scarred and pitted by the alum and ironstone mining industries that once held sway here – indeed, the odd-shaped peak, partially collapsed on one side, was probably caused by decayed mineworks in the past. Getting to the top, via a footpath through Newton Wood, it's about two miles there and back (say an hour or so), starting from the pay-and-display car park a mile out of Great Ayton (A173, Guisborough road).
