Captain Cooks Monument – Easy

Walk

                      Getting There

Directions: Coming from Middlesbrough go up Ormesby Bank, then turn left onto Middlesbrough Road heading to Guisborough.

Turn right at the next roundabout onto the A173 which will take you to Great Ayton.

At the first roundabout you come go left into Great Ayton where the petrol station is.

Keep going until you come to Station Road and turn left into it then left again at the next roundabout - the sign will say Captain Cooks Monument- follow this road until you come to the car park and picnic area.

The Walk 

From the picnic area and car park head for the turnstile across from the picnic area below:

Turn left at the turnstile and head up

the path, making sure

you look behind you for stunning

views of Roseberry Topping:

 Keep heading up the path which gets quite steep in places and your almost at your destination

Your nearly there now

Some interesting facts about Captain Cooks Monument: The monument was erected in 1827 from local sandstone. James Cook moved into the village of Great Ayton when he was 8 years old, his father was a farmer and there is a museum open in the summer in Great

Ayton called the Captain Cook Schoolroom Museum. Worth a visit on

your drive back into Great Ayton.

The inscription on the monument reads "In memory of the celebrated circumnavigator Captain James Cook F.R.S. A man of nautical knowledge inferior to none, in zeal prudence and energy, superior to most. Regardless of danger he opened an intercourse with  the

Friendly Isles and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere. He was born at Marton Oct. 27th

1728 and massacred at Owythee Feb 14th 1779 to the inexpressible grief of his

countrymen. While the art of navigation shall be cultivated among men, whilst the spirit of enterprise, commerce and philanthropy shall animate the sons of Britain, while it shall be deemed the honour of a Christian nation to spread civilisation and the blessings of the

Christian faith among pagan and savage tribes, so long will the name of Captain Cook stand out

amongst the most celebrated and most admired benefactors of the human race."

After admiring the monument and views head back down to the car park and stop at Great Ayton for a Petches

pie or an ice cream!