Cleveland Hills

Rising dramatically from the gentle pastureland of Tees Valley to the north, the Cleveland Hills offer spectacular views over the valley towards County Durham, eastwards to the North Sea and west towards the backbone of England.

One of the hills’ most distinctive landmarks is the cone-shaped peak of Roseberry Topping.
Somehow this peak makes every one of its modest 320m count, pointing skywards in a primary school triangle from the east, and turning all rugged-jaw cliff from the west. From the south it extends a soaring welcome to Tees Valley, and from the north it’s the jagged gatekeeper to the hills beyond.

The key to its appeal and iconic, rough-cut diamond outline is the way its flanks shelve away sharply to leave the summit alone in the clouds, towering over the neighbouring lands.

It’s a short climb, yet its ease of access belies the stupendous 360-degree panorama from its summit. Nothing can dilute the jaw-dropping impact of these knockout views. Gaze out to the hills, to the towering obelisk of Captain Cook’s Monument to the south (the world-famous maritime explorer spent his childhood in the hill village of Great Ayton), and to the North Sea. Each view better than the last.

Wild, wonderful and underwalked, the Cleveland Hills are a ramblers’ paradise. Perhaps the most well-known route to take in their fabulous views is the 110-mile Cleveland Way National Trail. If you’re looking for something shorter, there is a lovely circular route from Newton-on-the-Moor which takes in the summit of Roseberry Topping as well as stunning views of Guisborough, Highcliff Nab and Eston Moor.