Yorkshire Dales & Moors
Great Ayton Moor
318M
1043FT
About Great Ayton Moor
Rising above the village of Great Ayton, this expansive heather-clad plateau offers a quieter, broader alternative to its famous neighbour, Roseberry Topping. Characterised by historic whinstone quarries and drystone walls, the summit provides a sweeping vantage point over the Tees Valley and the northern escarpment of the North York Moors.
Key Statistics
Rank
15th Highest in Region
Parent Range
England
Prominence
?
79
Nearest Town
Hutton Village
Geology
Great Ayton Moor is built on layers of sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone. These rocks form the solid, rugged ground beneath your boots.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NZ597124
Latitude
54.5034°N
Longitude
1.0796°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Ayton is rooted in the Old English Ea-tun, meaning 'farmstead on the river', a reference to the River Leven which flows through the village at the hill's foot.
- •The moor is bisected by the Whinstone Ridge, a narrow geological intrusion of igneous rock that was heavily quarried during the 19th century to provide durable paving stones for the streets of Leeds and London.
- •The summit area is dotted with Bronze Age archaeology, including several prominent tumuli and the remains of a prehistoric enclosure which suggests the moor has been a site of significance for millennia.
- •From the high ground, walkers gain an unhindered view of the distinctive 'slumped' profile of Roseberry Topping, caused by a combination of geological instability and ironstone mining subsidence in 1912.
- •The moor serves as a practical high-altitude buffer; it is the place where the wind from the North Sea reminds you that, despite the modest elevation, you have definitely left the valley floor.