Distance Covered: 3 miles Time to Complete Walk: 1.5 hours
Suitable for dog walking: Yes
Famous for its connection to Captain James Cook, with a museum, a monument, statue and much more, Great Ayton is a much loved village with a river running straight through it and is home of the well loved Petches pies!. This walk starts at the village and then on lanes through a wood and then back down passing over the railway, and returning through Little Ayton.
Virus Awareness: Pubs and other non essential shops including the museum were closed as the walk was done in a lockdown. However people were maintaining social distancing along the route. The route was fairly busier than normal as people were out and about getting their daily exercise.
General Safety Tips: The route up to the woods can get muddy. Take care on the woodland path. Stay alert when crossing the railway at the beginning of the walk.
The Great Ayton walk
Getting There
From Middlesbrough follow Middlesbrough Road until you come to a roundabout. Take the right exit towards Pinchinthorpe which is the A173. Heading into Great Ayton take the right exit at a roundabout and keep on the Guisborough Road until you come to a bridge. Turn left before the bridge and parking can be found at High Green car park which is on your right and where the walk starts.
Map of the Great Ayton walk
The Walk
From the car park turn right and follow Newton Road for a short while.
Head up Newton Road
Look for a gate and public path to your right and go through the gate.
Go through the gate to your right
Walk through the enclosed path and go through another gate.
Head to another gate
You then emerge onto an open path. Keep on this path.
Keep on the grassy path
Go through another gate.
Go through another gate
Head through another enclosed passage and through another gate out onto the open again.
Head on through the enclosed path
The path now stays to the edge of a field.
Stay on the path to the edge of the field
Soon you come to a level crossing over a railway. Take care when crossing over the railway.
Cross over the level crossing
Cross over and keep to the path ahead.
Keep on the path ahead
Keep ahead when you come to a path crossing over the way ahead.
Keep ahead over the crossing path
Head through a gate and towards the woods in the distance.
Go through the gate and head towards the woods
Keep on the clear path ahead.
Head towards the woods
The path bends to the left and through a gate which leads into Cliff Edge Woods.
Go through the gate into the woods
Soon you come to a National Trust sign for Cliff Edge Woods
National Trust sign
Turn right and at a branch in the paths take the higher path to the left.
Take the left branch which climbs into the woods
At another similar branch in the path keep climbing passing two square concrete blocks. This is the site of the original Captain Cooks cottage.
Take the higher path in the branch
Pass the concrete blocks
The path now meanders through the woods. Keep heading down as the path bends and falls steeply in places.
Head down the woodland path
Eventually you come to the edge of the woods and another sign for Cliff Edge Woods and a gate onto a field. Head through it and immediately through another gate on your right onto adjacent field.
Sign at the exit from the woods
Go through the gate out of the woods.
Go through the gate onto the next field
Follow the path keeping to the edge of the field.
Keep to the edge of the field
Soon a road comes into view. Head over the stile onto the road.
Head over the stile
Turn right and head down the road.
Head down the road
The path passes some lovely houses and a babbling brook.
Head down the road passing the houses
Soon you come to a crossroads. Cross the road keeping ahead passing "The White House".
Cross the road and pass by The White House
Turn right at the T Junction
Follow this road until you come to a large gate.
Keep on the road ahead
Go through the gate
Go through the gate and head over a railway bridge.
Go over the railway bridge
Keep to the right as the road bends at a signpost
Keep on the road as it bends right.
Eventually you come to Little Ayton and a T junction- turn right
Turn right at the T-junction
This road is a quiet country road but keep your eyes and ears peeled for any cars or cyclists.
Keep on the road
At a roundabout keep ahead.
Keep ahead at the roundabout
Keep on the pavement and then turn left back to the car park. Dont forget to explore Great Ayton and the museum and waterfall park.
Waterfall park
Captain Cook Museum
Great Ayton
Great Ayton is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire, England, on the edge of the North York Moors. It lies less than 3 miles (4.8 km) southeast of the southernmost edge of Middlesbrough, 7 miles (11.3 km) from the centre of Middlesbrough and 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Stokesley on the border with the unitary authorities of Redcar and Cleveland and Middlesbrough. According to the 2011 Census, it has a population of 4,629.
The name Great Ayton derives from the Old English Ea-tun, tun meaning 'farm' and ea meaning 'river'.
In the 18th and 19th centuries Great Ayton was a centre for the industries of weaving, tanning, brewing, and tile making. Subsequently, whinstone for road surfacing was also quarried from the Cleveland Dyke along with ironstone, jet and alum from the Cleveland Hills.
Great Ayton was home to the Great Ayton Friends' School (Quaker) from 1841 until it closed in 1997. The village serves as the base for Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team.
Great Ayton is at the foot of the Cleveland Hills beneath Easby Moor and the distinctively-shaped Roseberry Topping. The River Leven, a tributary of the River Tees, flows through the village and links its two centres, High Green and Low Green. The Cleveland Dyke, a narrow band of hard whinstone rock that runs for about 31 miles between Robin Hood's Bay and Eaglescliffe lies to the north-east of the village.
The village was the boyhood home of Captain Cook, the British explorer and navigator, who was born in nearby Marton. James Cook and his family moved to the village when he was eight years old and lived there until he was sixteen. The Cook family home on Bridge Street was built by James' father in 1755. The cottage was dismantled in 1934 to be shipped to Australia. Each stone was numbered so that the cottage could be reconstructed exactly in its new home in the Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne.
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