Wednesday 1st September 2010
After a morning spent exploring the connections between Whitby and Bram Stoker's Dracula, particularly in the Abbey, I took a train down the Esk Valley line to the tiny station of Kildale. I was going to walk up a popular hill in the area, but I was not going to be take the orthodox route to the bizarrely named Roseberry Topping. Once in Kildale I re-joined the Cleveland Way (but this time actually going in the usual direction) as it climbs steeply up the hillside opposite on a minor road. At the top of the hill I left the road and walked along a lovely path through woodland and eventually emerged onto the wonderfully purple-flowering heather-clad moorland of Easby Moor. At the top of the prominent hill ahead was a tall monument to Captain Cook with extensive views across the wide Vale of Mowbray westwards.
From the monolith I headed north into a wood and dropped steeply to a car park. Across the road I climbed steeply again onto the vast heather-clad Newton Moor. A wonderful walk along the edge of the escarpment took me to the corner of the moor where striking views could be seen of a distinctively shaped hill. Roseberry Topping sits at the north-eastern corner of the North York Moors and is a prominent hill that can be seen for miles around. It accordingly attracts many visitors and is probably the most popular hill in the North York Moors so it has many paved footpaths up its steep sides, but to me it just seems like a trifle! I dropped down to the saddle and climbed the zigzagging path that climbs to the summit of this popular hill. Despite misty distant views, the panorama was quite extensive with far reaching sights. 
After appreciating the views I took a path down the southern slopes of the hill and walked round to a small folly on the south-western side. From there I crossed the western slopes of Roseberry Topping until I reached the path that climbs the north western slopes. I climbed this paved path and before I knew it I found myself back at the summit (I must have had bountiful amounts of energy!). After re-acquainting myself with the summit I returned to the saddle and climbed back up to the moor. Even stuck in Leicester, I had heard of Roseberry Topping before as I have friends who have been up it and they seemed to be always mentioning it. This is a very popular hill because it satisfies all the necessary requirements: it is a relatively easy to climb but is so prominent it attracts the eye, and it has a main road at its foot. Roseberry Topping is rightly a very popular hill as it is accessible to all the family.
After appreciating the views I took a path down the southern slopes of the hill and walked round to a small folly on the south-western side. From there I crossed the western slopes of Roseberry Topping until I reached the path that climbs the north western slopes. I climbed this paved path and before I knew it I found myself back at the summit (I must have had bountiful amounts of energy!). After re-acquainting myself with the summit I returned to the saddle and climbed back up to the moor. Even stuck in Leicester, I had heard of Roseberry Topping before as I have friends who have been up it and they seemed to be always mentioning it. This is a very popular hill because it satisfies all the necessary requirements: it is a relatively easy to climb but is so prominent it attracts the eye, and it has a main road at its foot. Roseberry Topping is rightly a very popular hill as it is accessible to all the family. My return route involved another fabulous moorland crossing, eventually leaving the Cleveland Way and following a track that crosses the moor. At a tarmac road I immediately took a heavily eroded track that descends through trees to the small valley of Lonsdale where I picked up a road, which was the one that I’d taken on my outward route and so eventually brought me back down into Kildale. This was a good walk up a distinctive, if small, hill in great, sunny, weather.
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