free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Sub 2k Marilyns: Gisborough Moor.
Date: 03/12/2017.
Distance: 18 km.
Ascent: 550m.
Time: 4 hours, 15 minutes.
Weather: Sunny, mild, calm.
With no car just now, I was pleased to discover some reasonable train times available for getting to the hills on a Sunday - no mean feat at this time of year. Although it isn't very far, it takes a good 80 minutes or so for the train to wind down the coast from Sunderland to the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors. I got off at Great Ayton shortly before midday and started walking up the road in strong sunshine - it was perfect t-shirt weather after a few days of low temperatures
.
Roseberry Topping from the train 
Great Ayton station I was soon off the road and onto a footpath. It looked like a good plan on the map, but on the edge of the moors, the paths are often squeezed between a hedge and a barbed wire fence, and with the amount of snowmelt, the going was extremely muddy and slippery for a short while. In fact it wasn't long before I'd slid on my arse and covered myself in mud!
I went up the end of a small rise above Cliff Rig Quarry which had a good view of Roseberry Topping - not a Marilyn, but my main reason for choosing this route. It looked fantastic.
The Topping To the west I was looking into hazy sunshine, so it was hard to appreciate the likes of Cringle Moor and Urra Moor, where I had originally planned to go.
Western Cleveland hills There was another slide along a narrow footpath to reach the final ascent of Roseberry Topping, after which things got much nicer. Unsurprisingly on such a fantastic Sunday afternoon, it was very busy, feeling like a more rural Arthur's Seat.
Approaching Roseberry Topping 
The summit 
North 
Final approach across the fields 
Lost or exploring? 
Busy at the top The way ahead to Newton Moor looked enticing, and once away from the main Topping path, the going was much quieter.
Gisborough Moor 
Across the fields to Teeside 
Leaving the top 
Looking over Hutton Wood 
Newton Moor 
Back to Roseberry Topping After a short ascent, I looked for somewhere to stop for lunch. Out of the breeze, it was warm enough to sit around for a good 10 minutes in t-shirt and shorts.
Quite a contrast - Teeside from the moors 
Back again An easy and uneventful walk took me over to Highcliff Nab - another good viewpoint. My only other visit to the Moors had been to go orienteering about 20 years ago. I thought I might have bagged the Marilyn of Gisborough Moor back then without knowing, but I definitely didn't. We were mostly in the trees of Lower Hutton Wood, and the highest point is a long way back onto the moorland.
Parascender 
Highcliff Nab 
Approaching the Nab 
North to Hartlepool It was now time to turn southward and into the interior after looking out across Teeside for much of the afternoon. The moors in themselves aren't that exciting - just the same vast expanses of heather as many other upland areas, but the dales are really attractive, and turning away from the urban sprawl of Teeside felt like entering a different world.
South across the moors 
Trig point on Gisborough Moor - so landrovers are OK then? After passing the trig point, it was a long easy wander on a landrover track to reach the highest point. There were plenty of grouse about.
Across to the western moors The sun began dropping as I left the summit, at which point the temperature went down a fair bit. Suddenly a jacket seemed like a good idea! The next section of track was full of slushy snow which slowed me down a bit, but after I turned a corner it was clear.
All the snow has gone except where I want to walk 
Descending to Whiteley Beck I could've got the train home from Commondale but I would have had longer to wait. Also the pub there apparently didn't serve any real ale - par for the course in the Highlands perhaps, but a major turnoff in the county that prides itself the most in having good beer. Fortunately it was an easy walk along a track to Castleton in the gathering gloom, where there was just time for a pint of Black Sheep in the pub adjacent to the station.
Last light over Westerdale Moor 
Sunset 
Quick pint 
...then onto the train at Castleton Moor Rather a short day out by my standards, but an enjoyable one. A friend has suggested the Lyke Wake walk in January, traversing the entire width of the Moors, which should inject the required amount of misery back into proceedings!
