Wandering Red Way onto Near Moor
Near Moor is a moor on the western margins of the Cleveland Hills. The moor is at its highest in the north-east where it meets the wooded escarpment edge of the Cleveland hills, it then slopes gently southwards towards Crabdale. Near moor is bounded by Far Moor To the East, Pamperdale Moor to the South and the valley of Scarth Nick and Scarth Wood Moor to the west.
The moor is managed for grouse shooting. The vegetation of the moor is predominantly heather with patches of moorland grasses and sedges.
The rocks here are mainly Jurassic Sandstones, formed 170 million years ago in shallow estuaries and deltas. To the north, below the escarpment edge, there are many old jet workings. Blocks of ‘White Flint’ can be found on the moor-top.
Both Near Moor and the adjacent Scarth Wood Moor were used by our ancient ancestors, there are the remains of ancient walls, enclosures, trackways and cairns dotted across both moors.
There are a number of cup-marked rocks on the moor, all are very weathered and barely recognisable.
There are the remains of quarries on the margins of the moor, local stone masons also used the prehistoric walls as a source of stone.
The Smell of Water 
I recognise that squared off block of stone 🙂
wished i’d spent more time looking at the carvings up there as it felt like it was a significant location.
Where do think the Red way name comes from? i have seen one or two others on the maps. There is a Rudgate near me, which is an old route.
Hi G
Red Way is an odd one, on the earliest OS maps it heads east across Near Moor and then south by Stoney Rigg.
Later maps show it shortened, petering-out south of Raindrip Slack.
I had a look at the etymology of Red/Rud, there’s the stuff you’d expect, personal names, a clearing, colour, place of reeds etc but one that I like is ‘ridge’. If there was a track prior to the moor becoming a grouse moor, and if that track went to Stoney Ridge then ‘Ridge Way’ could be a good fit, who knows?
I guess the ‘Rud/ridge element may also apply to Rudland Rigg.
I read something about Rhod – meaning wheel, and so maybe tracks suitable for wheeled carts etc. but i think your ridge is a better fit.
first ed os map shows a red way east of ainthorpe from duck bridge to houlsike.
another red way track ? through forestry on nether silton moor
another red way at church houses up onto blakey ridge
a red gate track on Gallows hill east of Cowesby
and another red Gate north of howe hill kilton
another red gate on road between little beck and sneaton corner
I guess, as with most of these things, there is no single answer.