Sutton Bank
Encyclopedia
Sutton Bank, also known as Roulston Scar, is a hill in the Hambleton District
of North Yorkshire
in England
. It is a high point on the Hambleton Hills
and the North Yorkshire Moors with extensive views over the Vale of York
and the Vale of Mowbray
. The hill is the site of one of the most important prehistoric monuments in the region—a massive hillfort built in the Iron Age
, around 400 BC.
Because it faces the prevailing westerly winds, Sutton Bank has been used for ridge soaring since the early 1930s for the sport of gliding
. The Yorkshire Gliding Club is based at the top of the hill.
The 110 miles (177 km) long Cleveland Way
National Trail crosses over Sutton Bank. It includes a spur to the White Horse of Kilburn.
At the foot of Sutton Bank lies the village of Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe
; at 27 letters long, it has the longest placename in England
.
The A170 road
runs down the bank with a gradient of 1 in 4 (25%), and including a hairpin bend. Vehicles have to keep in low gear whist travelling up or down the bank, and caravans are banned from using the section.
Hambleton
Hambleton is a local government district of North Yorkshire, England. The main town and administrative centre is Northallerton, and includes the market towns and major villages of Bedale, Thirsk, Great Ayton, Stokesley and Easingwold....
of North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is a high point on the Hambleton Hills
Hambleton Hills
The Hambleton Hills are a range of hills in North Yorkshire in the United Kingdom. They form the western edge of the North Yorkshire Moors but are separated from the moors by the valley of the River Rye...
and the North Yorkshire Moors with extensive views over the Vale of York
Vale of York
The Vale of York is an area of flat land in the north-east of England. The vale is a major agricultural area and serves as the main north-south transport corridor for northern England....
and the Vale of Mowbray
Vale of Mowbray
The Vale of Mowbray is a stretch of low lying land between the North Yorkshire Moors and the Hambleton Hills to the east and the Yorkshire Dales to the west...
. The hill is the site of one of the most important prehistoric monuments in the region—a massive hillfort built in the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, around 400 BC.
Because it faces the prevailing westerly winds, Sutton Bank has been used for ridge soaring since the early 1930s for the sport of gliding
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
. The Yorkshire Gliding Club is based at the top of the hill.
The 110 miles (177 km) long Cleveland Way
Cleveland Way
The Cleveland Way is a National Trail in ancient Cleveland in Northern England. It runs 110 miles from Helmsley to Filey, skirting the North York Moors National Park.-History:The trail was opened in 1969...
National Trail crosses over Sutton Bank. It includes a spur to the White Horse of Kilburn.
At the foot of Sutton Bank lies the village of Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe
Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe
Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the A170 at the foot of Sutton Bank, about three miles east of Thirsk....
; at 27 letters long, it has the longest placename in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The A170 road
A170 road
The A170 is an A road in North Yorkshire, England. It begins at Thirsk, spouting off from the A19 road after about it reaches the very steep viewpoint Sutton Bank, after a steep climb it enters the North Yorkshire Moors and the Hambleton Hills then it reaches the small town of Helmsley and the...
runs down the bank with a gradient of 1 in 4 (25%), and including a hairpin bend. Vehicles have to keep in low gear whist travelling up or down the bank, and caravans are banned from using the section.