Capt. Cooks Monument from Kildale Circular

Start : Park at Kildale Station (YO21 2RH) Grid ref. NZ 60476 09549

(S/E) From the car park at Kildale walk up the track to the road (Station Road). Turn left (East) and walk along the road to the first junction on the left (310 m).

(1) Turn left (North-East) at the junction and walk along and down to a small water works just before the railway bridge (possible parking). Follow the road under the bridge and continue to cross a cattle grid (or gate to the left) into the Kildale Estate. Walk along and up the road to a wooden gate on the left.

(2) Continue walking up (North) the road pass beside Bankside Farm and then between the trees. The road starts to level out and you will arrive at a junction with a track on the left. (More parking)

(3) Turn left (South-West) and follow the track to pass through a gate. Keep following the path, at the first junction keep left (South-West) and follow the path through light woodland. Another track joins from the right and shortly afterwards there is another track on the right, ignore this and keep straight ahead.

The path then starts to become paved with sandstone slabs, ignore a feint path on the left which heads downhill and stay on the paved path to a dry stone wall. From here you can see the monument. Pass through the gap in the wall and walk over the Capt. Cooks Monument. The plaque has some interesting information, once you have read it walk to the edge of the escarpment and enjoy the view.

(4) You are now going to walk in a North-North-West direction; you can do this by returning to the monument and following the path (Do not follow the wider main path down to Cockshaw Hill) or by walking along the edge of the escarpment.
Either way, you are aiming for two prominent upright stones which mark a gap in a dry stone wall. Pass through the gap in the wall and follow the path along and the downhill through Ayton Bank Woods. It gets steeper towards the end and can be muddy underfoot after rain. The path will lead down to a grassy track which crosses the path (ignore this) and continue down to some marker posts. The route is obvious and you can cut the corner off near the bottom

(5) Turn left (South-East) and walk along the narrower path which contours the bottom of the hillside. It passes through a few gates but ignore paths on the right that head downhill. You can look up and left and see the open hillside below the monument and the small quarries on the edge of the escarpment. The path leads to a stone wall with woodland beyond.

(6) Go through the wall and now turn right (South) to follow a path downhill with a wall on the right. Pass a track on the left (entry barred with a wooden barrier at the time of writing) and continue down to a steep bank on the right which descends to a stream. Continue down to a junction with a more prominent track and signage for the Kildale Estate.

(7) Turn left (North) and walk along the track with the River Leven on your right. You will come to a view point above a delightful waterfall. Don't climb over the fence and descend to the viewing point, instead keep on walking along the track to a set of wooden steps on the right.

(8) Turn right (East) and walk down the steps, now follow the path (you are going back on yourself at a lower level) which crosses board walks and two bridges to another set of steps which lead down to the viewing point next to the waterfall. Once you have enjoyed the view walk back to the waypoint (8) Now continue along the main track East, you will soon arrive at the wooden gate which leads to the road.

(2) Turn right (South-East) and walk down the road, cross the cattle grid and pass under the bridge to arrive at the junction.

(1) Turn right (North-West) and walk along to the station. Instead of taking the track down to the car park, keep left and walk towards the farm, then take the narrow bridge over the railway line to the church.

(9) Once you have had a look around head back to the parking by re tracing your steps. Arrive at the car park. (S/E)

Start : Park at Kildale Station (YO21 2RH) Grid ref. NZ 60476 09549

Transport : Kildale Station is a working station so you could travel here by train; timetables can be found at Norther Railway website here.

Parking : Park at Kildale Station (YO21 2RH) Grid ref. NZ 60476 09549
If the parking is full two cars can be sensibly parked along the road from Waypoint (2), next to the small water works before the railway bridge.
Five to six cars can be sensibly parked at waypoint (3).
Or you could park at Great Ayton station and take the footpath past Southbrook Farm the join the route at waypoint (5).

Note : There are no real places to shelter on this walk but the sections between the trees afford some protection from the wind.
Although short, dress appropriately as even on a warm day it can be cold on top if it is windy.

Terrain : This walk can be done in approach type shoes but it would recommend boots, particularly after rain as sections can become muddy and slippery, in particular the descent through Ayton Banks Wood.

Enjoy the scenery which opens out on the top of the moor.
Capt. Cooks Monument is of historical interest and if you want to find out more about his life there is a small museum in Great Ayton.

If visiting Great Ayton there are a selection of shops a couple of good cafes and the famous Suggitt's ice cream/sweet shop/ cafe.

The Victorian church in Kildale is worth visiting, it sits on the site of a former Saxon Church and the farm next to it occupies the site of a motte. Whilst small, the village of Kildale is very picturesque and the Kildale Estate lands have only been owned by three families since the Norman Conquest.