Cleveland Hills

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The Cleveland Hills are a range of hills on the northern edge of the North York Moors in North Yorkshire, England, overlooking Cleveland and Teesside.

The hills, which rise abruptly from the flat Tees Valley to the north, include distinctive landmarks such as the cone-shaped peak of Roseberry Topping, near the village of Great Ayton - the childhood home of Captain Cook - and Kilburn White Horse, cut into the hill in the 19th century by the local school master.

Along the Cleveland Hills there is a walk called the "Cleveland Way". The walk was officially opened in 1969 and is one of the most varied and interesting footpaths in this country. It is just over 100 miles long and goes from Helmsley in the west to Filey in the east. Though this is indeed fact it is a gross over-simplification of what the walk is. The distance from Helmsley to Filey by road is just over 30 miles by the direct route so it is immediately apparent that the footpath is not aligned with this route. In fact from Helmsley instead of heading east the path first heads 10 miles west so that at the end of the first section of the walk you are further away from Filey than when you started.

Captain Cook is one of the most famous people to come from the Cleveland Hills. Maritime activities have always been an important part of the Cleveland Hills life. Indeed, it was in the village of Great Ayton that the future Captain Cook spent his childhood. At 17 he found work in the fishing village of Staithes before going on to become one of the greatest explorers in British history. Visitors can take now enjoy a 70 mile circular drive - "the Captain Cook Country Tour" which takes them through many parts of Cleveland Hills, from Teesside and on to Whitby from where Cook made his famous sea voyages.