England - North York Moors - Cook Roseberry Topping
England - North York Moors - Cook Roseberry Topping
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Walk Summary
Walk Summary
Ascend to the aesthetic summit of Roseberry Topping and admire those 360 degree views. Spot the tell-tale signs of the alum and ironstone works that dominated the area. There is another climb to the top of a hill that supports Captain Cook's Monument. A woodland and moorland section delivers you to Hutton Lowcross wood. A tour of this wood takes you to the brown 'Blue Lake', and upwards to the tremendous views from the outcrop of the Hanging Stone. A welcome descent takes you through woodland back to the start.
Date: 15/10/2021
Length: 9.82 miles
Height Gain: 602 m
Terrain: Steep rocky path ascent, rocky tracks, steep boggy paths, forestry roads, lightly used roads, national trail, fields, slab steps
Navigation: Most is well signed.
Start: Car Park at Newton Under Roseberry on the A173
Route: Newton Under Roseberry Car Park, Roseberry Topping , Captain Cook's Monument, Great Ayton Moor, Hutton Village, Hanging Stone, Roseberry Common
Map: OL26 North York Moors Western Area
Weather: Sunny
Walkers: Nun
Gallery
Gallery
Roseberry Topping - Shadow
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Roseberry Topping Shadow
Captain's Log
Captain's Log
Sunrise Shadows
Sunrise Shadows
A very chilly start from the Newton Under Roseberry car park. The steep climb up Roseberry Topping soon got me warmed up. Although an impressive peak, Roseberry Topping isn't actually that high - a mere 320m. The views from the summit though are extensive. The early morning sun cast a shadow of the hill on the landscape. In 1912 part of the summit fell away due to a geological fault. There was so much alum and ironstone mining area though, it does make you wonder whether that had some part to play. After dropping down the other side of the hill, the route meanders through fields forest and roads to Dikes Lane. There was a fine selection of birds around the fields.
As I approached Dikes Lane I was surprised to find a massive coach slowly easing its way along. Full marks to the driver. He even was cool enough to open his window and shout a 'good morning' to me.
Captain Cook's Monument
Captain Cook's Monument
The route crosses Dikes Lane and then follows a narrow lane than turn into a track. A fingerpost eventually directs you into some woods and a steep path up to Captain Cook's Monument.
There must have been a 100 people there as I approached, 96% of them being school kids. I have a theory that the coach I saw on Dikes Lane was one of a fleet that had dropped them off at the Gribdale Gate car park.
The monument is a substantial structure (18m high) and was built in 1827. There is a plaque on the monument that reads as follows:
"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."
I read that and then contemplated that I'd rather under-achieved in my life...well, so far, anyway.
Nearby is the scene of an air crash in 1940. A Hudson came down killing 3 of the 4 airmen.
Captain Cook's Monument
Hutton Moor - Looking to Kildale Moor
Moor And Forest
Moor And Forest
The route is easy to find from Captain Cook's Monument to the Gribdale Gate car park; all you do is follow in the wake of the chattering kids. The obviously had built some momentum coming downhill since they went straight through the car park and up the other side. My route gently diverted off from them to the right over Great Ayton Moor to Hutton Moor. The nice view down into Lonsdale (on my right) accompanied me on this section. At Hutton Moor we cross the Cleveland Way and descend into the Hutton Lowcross woods. The track goes down and down until I met the road leading to the Hutton village. This was a model village built by Sir Joseph Whitwell Pease, a wealthy industrialist.
A quarter of a mile of road walking then brings you back to an entry point into the Hutton Lowcross woods again. The route takes you past the 'Blue Lake' built by Sir Pease to drive some hydraulic machinery. Despite the blue skies, the lake looked pretty brown to me. The trail follows up into a gully, to the point where you think it is just going to peter out and then it reaches a substantial forestry road.
Hanging Rock
Hanging Rock
Originally I had not included the Hanging Rock on my itinerary, but then when I saw the name on my map I just had to visit it. The rock is found up a steep, slippery, boggy path off to the left of the aforementioned forestry road. The outcrop is really quite large and it was a relief to be able to get some extensive views after spending the last hour enclosed in woodland. It is well worth a visit.
The exit from Hanging Rock is almost as mysterious as the entry, with thick undergrowth on either side. Eventually the path meets up with the Cleveland Way and I followed this back towards Roseberry Topping.
Even though the views from the top were so good this morning, I couldn't faced the ascent again and so went down a path that skirted it's northern side. This made quite a pleasant alternative, descending through woodland.
I timed my return to the lane that leads to the car park with the farmer moving a prairie full of cows from one field to another. I didn't mind the delay though since it had been such a great day.
Hanging Rock - Looking northwards
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