Distance Covered: 4 miles Time to complete walk: 2 hours
Suitable for dog walking: No - livestock in most fields
Total Steps: approx. 13,500
Safety Tips: A walking stick is required to clear the bracken on the climb up Blakey Topping. Do not attempt the walk after rain as the descent down will be slippery.
Blakey Topping is a lesser known hill that lives in the shadow of the other "topping" Roseberry Topping. Not half as busy as Roseberry Topping, this is still a challenge but is a shorter ascent to the top with rewarding views around. As it is within the realm of Dalby Forest a fee of £9.00 per car is payable at one of the many pay stations around the forest. To get to the Crosscliff View car park enter the forest entrance barrier and then follow the road around until you reach a barrier and if you follow this road around you will then come to the Crosscliff View car park which is the start of the walk. The walk is a simple there and back route with some ancient standing stones to pass along the way.
The Blakey Topping walk
Getting There
From Middlesbrough follow the A171 up Birk Brow and then follow the road in the direction of Whitby. Before Whitby, turn right at a roundabout signed to Sleights which is the A169. Follow this road up Blue Bank. Look for a left turn for Dalby Forest. Follow this road into Dalby Forest through the barrier and follow it to another barrier and the Crosscliff View Car Park is on your left. Parking is £9.00 per car and payable at one of the pay stations dotted around the forest.
Route of the Blakey Topping walk
The Walk
From the car park go through the double gateway indicated as the Crosscliff View trail.
Go through the gateway
Soon you come to a picnic area - turn left and follow the path in this direction.
Picnic Area
Soon you come to a junction of paths. Take the immediate path on your left and double back on this path.
Follow the path to your sharp left
Keep on this path as it descends through the forest.
Follow the path into the forest
Go through a gate and follow the path down to a junction.
Go through the gate
Follow the path down to the junction
Turn left at the junction and follow this path until you reach a ford.
Turn left and join the path
Keep on the path ahead
Reach the ford
Go over the ford and pass some cottages on the right. Keep on the path ahead until you reach a gate.
Pass the buildings on your right
Go through the gate
The path now joins the moor and continues for sometime with Blakey Topping coming into view.
Blakey Topping in the distance
Go over a stile in a gate and keep on the clear path ahead.
Go over the stile
Keep on the path ahead
The path soon veers to the left and follow it to an open gateway at a fence.
Follow the path as it veers to the left
Arrive at the open gateway
Ahead are a set of standing stones which are said to have mythical status. Back at the gateway turn right and keep to the fence ahead.
Standing Stone
Turn right and keep to the fence
Look for an opening in the corner of the field and you will then come to a stile on your left.
Follow the path in the corner of the field
Go over stile on your left
Use your walking stick to clear the bracken as you make your way to the top of Blakey Topping keeping to the path.
Follow the path through the bracken
Path up Blakey Topping
At the top there are impressive views all around.
View from the top
When you have enjoyed the view descend the hill very carefully and make your way back on the same paths you came in on.
Blakey Topping
There are at least four standing stones currently surviving in this group, although some of them are of uncertain status. The tallest stone is 1.9 metres high and is much-weathered and leaning. A second stone is 1.0 metres high and appears to have had its top broken off. A third stone is 1.3 metres high but has been roughly squared off and is currently being used as a gate post. A fourth stone, 1.4 metres high, occurs in an old field bank and is much-weathered and leaning. There may be a fifth standing stone, and two or three hollows in the ground may indicate the former position of other stones.
It has been suggested that the stones are the remains of a stone circle about 17 metres in diameter. Alternatively the stones may have formed part of a curving alignment, or possibly two parallel rows.
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