News Beat
A walk through the North York Moors National Park
Following a public footpath that isn’t marked by a green dotted line on the OS map always adds interest to an outing. That’s the case on this largely wooded walk with some fine views.
You will soon spot Roseberry Topping, from this angle looking like a wave about to crest. Walkers on the summit always look bigger than they should be, an illusion of scale. The row of white cottages that catch the eye below the Topping were built in the 19th century for whinstone miners and their families. A narrow gauge railway tramway carried whinstone down to Ayton station where it was knapped into sets for roadworks and taken away by the North Eastern Railway. Alum had previously been mined at Ayton Banks for nine years from 1766. Work stopped due to the high transport costs stemming from such a remote location.
The climax of the route is the 16-metre tall Captain Cook’s Monument which clocks up its bicentenary in 2027. It was funded by Robert Campion, a Whitby banker. Near to the monument is a plaque commemorating the Lockheed Hudson plane which crashed here in 1940 when ice formed on its wings.
It’s well worth allowing time for a mooch around the green at Great Ayton before you drive home. A panel on the green describes some of the buildings around it including an old school and also explains why one corner is called California! The undoubted star of the show is a statue of a young Captain Cook. You can also visit his school room museum and adjoining poor house
1. Enter the forest via a bridlegate at the Gribdale Gate sign. At a crossing of paths turn right. At a t-junction bear left for 30m then sharp right away from the monument. After a very steep descent at a crossing of paths turn left and slightly uphill.
2. Where the track bears sharp right keep ahead and bear immediately right to descend steeply again. At a bridleway turn left.
3. Approaching a wood pass between stone pillars then fork right and downwards with a wall on your right. Pass more pillars and through a gate. The path gradually bears left. At the bottom turn left onto a track in the direction of a fingerpost for a concessionary path courtesy of the Kildale Estate. Pass a waterfall.
4. Leave Mill Bank Wood via a stile beside a gate. Turn left and upwards on the road, passing behind Bankside Farm.
5. At the crest of the hill turn left at a fingerpost for the Cleveland Way (a track). Soon fork left, staying on the Way. Bear right past the monument on a flagged path.
6. Pass your earlier turn and shortly afterwards turn left down a narrow path. Stay on it as it bears right on top of a crag overlooking Ayton Banks. (A ledge here is perfect for a pause). Descend to the road and turn right back to the car park.
Compass points
Start/finish:Gribdale Gate. TS9 6NH, grid ref NZ 592 110.
Distance/time: 7.7km/3 hours.
Accessibility: The descent at the start of the route is steep and can be slippery while the ascent from Bankside Farm is gentler and on a tarmac road so you may wish to do the route the opposite way round depending on your preferences for ups and downs.
Maps: OS Explorer OL26 North York Moors western area, OS Landranger 93 Middlesborough & Darlington.
Parking: Free car park at Gribdale Gate. You could easily start the route from Kildale station, walking along roads to join the route at point 4.
Map link: bit.ly/CaptCooksMonument.
Eat here
The Royal Oak Hotel, Great Ayton. 18th century coaching inn with log fires, beamed ceilings and rustic charm. Sunday lunches are a speciality. Main menu includes lasagna bolognaise, pie of the day, massaman curry and Moroccan lamb tagine. Children’s menu, breakfasts and sandwiches also available. royaloakgreatayton.co.uk.
The Poor House, Great Ayton. Cosy, historic, atmospheric cafe bar with three rooms and quirky canopied courtyard. Serves breakfasts, scones, toasties and soups plus highly rated pizzas on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Takeaways also available. facebook.com/thepoorhousegreatayton.
