Urra Moor - Round Hill

About Urra Moor - Round Hill

Rising above the village of Urra, this expansive plateau is the highest point in the North York Moors. It offers a classic heather-clad experience, crossed by the Cleveland Way national trail. The summit, known as Round Hill, is marked by a trig pillar and provides clear views across Bilsdale and towards the distinctive profile of Roseberry Topping.

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Did You Know?

• •As the county top of the North York Moors, Urra Moor’s summit at Round Hill is more of a gentle swell than a peak. The name 'Urra' is thought to derive from the Old Norse 'org' or 'ergh', referring to a shieling or hill-pasture, reflecting the area’s long history of Norse settlement and grazing.
• •The summit is a significant milestone for long-distance walkers, as both the Cleveland Way and the traditional 40-mile Lyke Wake Walk traverse its broad, peaty ridge.
• •The moor is dotted with ancient boundary markers and standing stones. The most famous is the 'Face Stone', which features a primitive carved face and likely served as a guidepost for travellers navigating the often featureless plateau in low cloud.
• •The area is rich in Bronze Age history; the summit plateau is home to Round Hill Long Barrow and several burial mounds, suggesting this high ground held significant spiritual importance thousands of years ago.
• •On a clear day, the panorama extends North to the industrial skyline of Teesside and the sharp cone of Roseberry Topping, while looking South-West reveals the deep trough of Bilsdale and the prominent Bilsdale transmitting station.
• •Despite being the highest point for many miles, the summit is so remarkably flat that standing at the trig pillar often involves looking around and suspecting the actual peak might be a slightly higher tuft of heather fifty yards away.