Roseberry Topping

Roseberry Topping is a delightful walk. It’s suitable for those only wanting a short walk and boasts a great view of the Cleveland area. It is a popular and well trodden walking route. There is a small car park at the base of the topping. It is a good walk to do in the evening as there is no car parking fee after 5pm! With the added bonus that there is a pub next to the car park for after walk refreshments. Route takes about 30 minutes to the top. Is within walking distance of Captain Cooks Monument.

The address is for correspondence, not the geographical location.
Roseberry Topping is Cleveland basically. Everyone born in Teesside recognises when they are home by two things (driving) 1: daytime, this place, on top of the Cleveland Hills. 2: nighttime, the lights of Teesside, glowing like lava on the skyline. Roseberry Topping was mined extensively in the 19th century, which explains why there’s a train station at Great Ayton. Great Ayton itself must have been briefly incredibly polluted and filled with rough miners. Hard to believe now. in 1913 or so half the Topping collapsed, giving it its current distinctive shape. The quickest way to get there is to drive to the carpark just below, but I got the train to Great Ayton from middlesbrough (same one that goes on to Whitby i think.) Then it’s a fifteen minute walk into Great Ayton, childhood home of Captain Cook. Roseberry Topping was probably the first place he saw the sea from. Then following the road round the back of the village you come to an iron gate, leading to a snicket that is basically an easy worn footpath to the summit. Plenty of hikers and walkers to follow. Tip: if you don’t know the area, take a map, binoculars and a jumper, it can get quite windy. The Topping itself is an easy walk if you’re in any way fit, although climbing up it recently made me realise I am no way near as fit as i was when i was ten or so and we’d scamper up on boxing day.
The view from the top is spectacular, you can see Hartlepool easily, and all of Teesside. There are plenty of shady little nooks on the summit to eat a picnic. Have fun trying to find the oldest bit of graffitti; it goes back hundreds of years. On the way down we found a field of rabbits. Oh and go on the right day so you can check out Great Ayton bookshop as well as the sweet shop and the fantastic butchers.