Visiting the Yorkshire Matterhorn

Roseberry Topping is a distinctive hill in the North York Moors flanked by woodland, grassland and wonderful heather moorland. The highest point is 320m and it has a distinctive half-cone shape with a jagged cliff, which has led to locals comparing it to the Swiss mountain, the Matterhorn – minus its height difference!

Where to park?

There are a couple of car parks close by, the most popular one being maintained by the National Trust which is located near the A173, you’ll find it at post code TS9 6QS. It’s free if you’re a Trust member or will cost you a few quid if not. It can get busy at weekends so arrive early.

How long does it take to walk?

It completely depends on which route you take, but the shortest option in length is 1.3 miles there and back which can be done in an hour. However, there are multiple footpaths to the summit which vary in length so you could extend your walk if you wanted to. We have a great Go Card with a longer walking route from the nearby village of Great Ayton which you can see here.

Things to see and do

Instead of just walking to the summit, there are other walks in the area too, like wandering through the woodland that wraps around the lower part of the slopes. There are centuries old oak and ash trees where you can also spot remains of a narrow gauge railway.  There is plenty of wildlife to spot throughout the year like native species and sometimes even sparrowhawks!

We have an extensive range of North York Moors gifts for sale online here where you’ll find lots of lovely regional products like maps, calendars, greeting cards and more!