Roseberry Castleton Loop Route Details

The route follows the Esk valley, from the pretty village of Great Ayton, to Castleton and then back passing over Roseberry topping on the way. Alas, there’s a lot of road work that can’t be avoided, but these road are generally quiet. This is more than compensated by some great moorland singletrack, some really difficult descents and lots of great views. This is not a route for beginners or the out of condition.

The moorland tracks should remain rideable during winter as will the gravel and rocky sections, making this an all year route. The presence of rocky drop-offs and very stony tracks favours a wide, grippy tyre, although this will really slow you down on the road.

You can shorten the route in several places; by crossing the valley to meet the homeward leg, particularly at Castleton and Commondale. You can also skip the very busy section which climbs Roseberry topping if there are too many ramblers on the trail. If you wanted to extend the route you can follow some of the Esk Valley route and return along the roads which follow the valley.

There are some very technical and rocky descents, which could send the unwary over the bars. The area around Roseberry Topping can become very busy at weekends and care should be taken to avoid other trail users.

Park on the street in Great Ayton village. There is also limited parking at the foot of Roseberry topping, but beware of car break-ins which are all too common in the area.

From the centre of the village, head east alongside the stream, following signs to the station. When you come to a small roundabout turn right toward Little Ayton. At Little Ayton when the road turns right instead turn left on the track toward the farm. After crossing over the railway, ignore the BW to the left (unmarked on the map) and instead carry on a further 200 yards until you come to a junction with a sunken lane.

Turn right up the narrow rocky lane between hedges. The path steepens as you cross a series of rocky sections and route before you come out into a field. Carry on up the path past several gates. Eventually the climb levels off and several paths head off in different directions. Keep on the marked BW which carries on past yet another gate and into a small wood. Keeping on the BW you will come out of the woods into open moorland and some narrow twisty single track marred only by some muddy bits churned up by horse traffic.

Carry on along the same obvious track into the woods before the single track gives way to a fast gravely track which joins a minor road at the edge of the wood near some farm buildings. Turn left down hill on the minor road and follow the road under a railway bridge to arrive at a T junction with an another minor road in the hamlet of Kildale (there is a tea room aimed at the Cleveland way traffic here which is open in high season). Turn left (north) on the minor road and carry on for a further 1/3 of a mile until you see a road to the right signed for Little Kildale.

Climb the road towards the wood and up a short but punishing hill. At the top of the hill the road ends, but a rough track continues left towards a farm. Just before the trees take care to leave the track for a BW which runs along the tree line next to Warren Farm, before descending into a valley towards the large chimney. After crossing the beck pass through the woods and climb the open fields towards a gate at the top of the field. Carry on through the gate and up onto the top of the moor finally. The path then descends over rocks and some small drop offs towards some farm buildings. At the track by the wall of a barn, turn left and follow the rough track which starts to climb and becomes quite technical in places before meeting the road.

At the road junction carry straight on east along the long straight road. The road drop sharply in a valley by Dibble Bridge Farm and then climbs steeply to a road junction. At the road junction follow signs to Castleton station (you can also go straight on but there’s more of a climb). At the road junction by the river bridge turn right towards the village you see above you on the hill. Once in the village turn left following signs for Danby. After crossing the river and the railway look for a track to the left. Turn uphill onto this track and look for a BW sign post pointing left sign posted for Castleton.

Follow the BW over open fields and into some woods and past some farm buildings to arrive at a road. Turning right up the hill carry on 200 yards until you see a well marked BW which heads west along the side of the valley. Follow this for nearly 1 ¾ miles until you come to some houses and a minor road. Carry on west along the minor road until you reach Commondale. Turn left in Commondale and follow the road which carries on west uphill.

The road will descend suddenly and climb again before reaching a cross roads 2.3 miles from Commondale. Turn right at the cross roads onto the dead-end road. Carry on uphill over a cattle grid and out into open moorland, ignoring any other tracks you see heading off to the left or right. Eventually you will reach a gate where the road ends. Carry on straight, uphill along the track which is at first sandy, but becomes rocky. You should pass a small abandoned brick building before the track descends steeply to a gate at the edge of a forest. Either staying on the moorland or the forest side of the fence head left (west) until the path heads away from the forest and out over open moorland. As this is part of the Cleveland Way the path is very well surfaced and reasonably mud free.

You should see a conical shaped hill in front of you called Roseberry topping. At a gate by a forest the path starts to descend steeply on stone steeps. Take care on the surface as it can be hard to ride and very busy at weekends. You will then arrive at a saddle between the hill you have just descended and Roseberry topping. You can go several ways here: an easy BW heads left towards Aireyholme Farm and eventually Great Ayton. A slightly steeper BW heads right around the base of the hill to the Roseberry Topping car park and the A173, and straight on heads to the summit. During busy weekends turning left is recommended, but if the weather is nice and it’s not too busy the far more interesting route is to head towards the base of the summit, and carry your bike the last few hundred yards to the summit. From the summit head back east until you come to where a track branches off to follow the fence line SW. At the gate carry along the fence line which heads down towards some woods. The track eventually joins a track which runs around the base of the hill. From there head due west down a rough track towards the car park and the main road. At the main road turn left and head south for a mile until you reach Great Ayton.