Yorkshire Dales & Moors
Settrington Beacon
199M
654FT
About Settrington Beacon
Rising above the village of Settrington near Thorpe Bassett, this prominent high point marks a dramatic break in the landscape. Characterised by rolling agricultural fields and open chalk plateau, the summit offers an expansive vantage point across the Vale of Pickering toward the dark, heather-clad slopes of the North York Moors.
Key Statistics
Rank
53rd Highest in Region
Parent Range
North Pennines
Prominence
?
15m
Nearest Town
Thorpe Bassett
Geology
The ground beneath your boots is made of solid white chalk. This landscape is shaped by layers of the Welton and Burnham rock formations.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SE866705
Latitude
54.1231°N
Longitude
0.6763°W
Did You Know?
- •The name combines the Old English 'Sæteringas' (the people of Sæter) with 'Beacon', identifying its role in the 16th-century signal chain used to warn of the approaching Spanish Armada.
- •The summit is occupied by a prehistoric round barrow, a Bronze Age burial mound that was later utilised as the stable base for the historical fire beacon.
- •The view from the top is a geographic lesson, looking across the flat Vale of Pickering to the distinct limestone heights of the Tabular Hills and the North York Moors on the horizon.
- •The hill sits on the Centenary Way, a long-distance path that follows the edge of the Wolds escarpment, offering easy walking on firm ground with constant wide-angle views.
- •The 'Beacon' title implies a certain drama that the gentle, sheep-trimmed slopes don't quite deliver, though the wind at the summit usually does its best to maintain appearances.