Roseberry Topping & Captain Cooks Monument

Saturday 14th November 2020

Walking Diary (All Walks) North Yorkshire & Co Durham North Yorkshire Moors

A local lockdown walk for a bit of exercise during these difficult times - No lakeland adventures for me for a few weeks, but I always enjoy walking in this lovely area.

Roseberry Topping and Captain Cooks Monument are always popular with Teessiders for a nice stroll out in the countryside, it's rarely quiet and can actually be quite busy in the summer months. Roseberry Topping is a very distinctive hill in North Yorkshire, known and loved by all Teessiders. It is situated near Great Ayton and Newton under Roseberry. Its summit has a distinctive half-cone shape with a jagged cliff, which has led to many comparisons with the much higher Matterhorn in the Swiss-Italian Alps.

It's believed that due to a geological fault and ironstone mining underneath, a collapse occurred in 1912 which now gives the hill its dramatic profile.

The information contained in the material on this Website is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice.
Distance: 8.9 miles
Duration: 3:15 hours
Ascent: 1756 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Accompanied By: Davy
Weather: Mild, Misty & Breezy

3D outline of route

Parking

Plenty of parking in Great Ayton today

The very impressive Fletchers farm Shop and cafe - Will call in here for a coffee and a snack with Chris as soon as all this madness is over

Captain Cooks Monument is over there to the right on Easby Moor

The start of the climb through the woods on a path consisting of mainly tree roots

A rather misty view over to Teessides Matterhorn - Roseberry Topping

Bit of a steep pull up to the top through the woods - but nothing too difficult

Now where is it ?? That 60ft monument is somewhere round here ?? Ah …… there it is, appearing out of the gloom

Captain Cook's Monument - a striking obelisk erected in 1827 in memory of Teessides famous explorer. He was born six miles away in Marton but grew up in Great Ayton - where I parked up earlier today. You can see this monument from many miles away and is a very noticable landmark. Captain Cook would have certainly walked these moors when he lived at Great Ayton from 1736-1745. The monument itself was built by Robert Campion, a wealthy banker from Whitby and owner of the Easby Manor estate and the plaque refers to his contribution.

Coming out of the wooded Coate Moor and walking down the country lane we can see Kildale Moor appear in the distance - Our route takes us past that prominent copse on the right

Great Ayton Moor - Misty and 'Samey' ! the walk punctuated only by those pesky cyclists !

The wind whips up as we start our ascent of the mighty Roseberry Topping - I must have been up here a hundred times - but it's such a good little climb, I hope to visit another hundred

The wind was so strong at the summit, as you can probably see by the hair style modelled here !

Roseberry Topping Folly as we head for Newton Woods

A tad muddy around here - but a bit better walking on the other side of the fence.

Picture this !! Would be much better on a clear sunny day !

Back at Great Ayton - An enjoyable few hours not far from home.