Whitby Myth and Folklore: Giant Wade - Whitby Online

Folklore tells us, (contrary to historians who would accredit the Romans) that Wade's Causeway (sometimes referred to as Old Wife's Way), an old road running from Malton to Eskdale was built by the giant Wade for his giantess wife 'Bell' so that she could use it to take her cow onto the moors for milking.

Tales are also told of how in creating this road Wade needed extra earth and soil and so scooped up the ground with his hand thus leaving the mile long bowl-like valley known as the Hole of Horcum.

When Wade had completed this highway he found that he had some excess earth and so he flung it away onto the moors creating either Blakey Topping, Roseberry Topping or Freeborough Hill depending upon the version of the story you are being told.