FORAY INTO SCOTLAND
The border between England and Scotland wanders across the Cheviot Hills seeking out some of the highest ground. As it makes
its way slowly through Northumberland, the Pennine Way, for much of the time, hugs the post and wire fence
which marks this international boundary.
The majority of these green, rounded hills lie to the south of this long
distance footpath and, as a consequence, the Cheviot Hills are generally considered to be the `pot of gold` at
the northern end of the Northumberland rainbow. Not quite. With one foot in
Northumberland and the other foot firmly planted on Scottish soil, this rainbow
has no regard for arbitrary boundaries. On this walk you will cross and re-cross
the wild border line as your feet touch the high ground of the Pennine Way. You will climb four small Scottish hills; Staerough Hill, Sunnyside Hill, Wildgoose
Hill and Latchly Hill, whilst all the while feeling
that you have never really left Northumberland. It is a walk for connoisseurs.
The finest cottages in
Northumberland?
The Walk
1. The tiny hamlet of Hethpool nestles beneath the slopes of Great Hetha, White Hill, Newton Tors
and The Bell at the northern end of the beautiful College Valley. It stands where the Elsdon and College Burns join forces and has a history
dating back to 1242. Owing to its proximity to Scotland, Hethpool was, in the distant past, exposed
to cross border raids. Today, the hamlet is the most peaceful of places whose
character is largely determined by a group of buildings belonging to the Arts
& Crafts style of the early part of the 20th century. The
splendid Hethpool House was built in 1919 and was
further embellished in 1928 when the distinctive conical roofed tower was
added. To the south of the house, a row of four farm cottages was built in 1926
and these have been described as “among the finest cottages to be seen anywhere
in Northumberland”. The College Valley lies 7˝ miles from the north Northumberland
town of Wooler and is reached along an unclassified single track road heading
southwards off the B6351. There is parking just beyond Hethpool,
at the end of the public road immediately after the cattle grid (GR NT893281).
Before heading back along the road you have just traveled, spend a few minutes
to enjoy the view southwards.
2. Follow the road back past the four cottages
and when you reach the end of the row you will be joining the 62˝ mile
St. Cuthbert`s Way, a route you will stay with for
the next 4˝ miles. Opened in 1996, this walk through the Border region links
together the religious sites of Melrose Abbey and Lindisfarne and is normally walked in a west
to east direction. You will be heading against the flow of `pilgrims`. The
route is waymarked by a Celtic cross, so keep your
eyes peeled for the waymarkers. Continue with the
road until it turns right towards Westnewton. At this
point you must turn left through the gate with signs on the fence to Elsdonburn and Trowupburn,
keeping with the roadway as it runs parallel with the Elsdon
Burn. Ignore the left hand fork which turns southwards to Trowupburn
after just less than one mile of easy walking, staying instead with the burn as
far as the farm of Elsdonburn. The surfaced roadway
becomes a rough track (GR NT873284),
signposted `To the Border Ridge 1˝ miles`, leading you past a bungalow before
swinging right through a gate. You are now alongside Shank`s
Sike and when the track splits in two, immediately
after the five bar gate, be sure to take the right hand path which descends to
cross the sike. Head diagonally
across the green pasture of Scaldhill Shank, along a
faint path, towards and then through the plantation (GR NT865278). The area immediately to the north of here is
littered with the remnants of times long past including, the 19th century
hill farm of Elsdonburn Shank, the medieval
settlement of Heddon and the Iron Age hillfort of Ring Chesters.
The view from
Eccles Cairn
3. Once out of the
plantation, the path crosses Tuppie`s Sike before climbing towards the border. As the ground
begins to level out at the 340 metre contour, a short diversion from the path,
to your right, will bring you to Eccles Cairn. This is a superb and atmospheric
vantage point. Below you, to the south west, is the Halterburn Valley and the four hills to be climbed later in the walk. To the west the
triple-topped Eildon Hills, much loved by Sir Walter
Scott, rise above the Tweed Valley. The view is extensive. Now rejoin the
path as it heads into Scotland. Once over the border, marked with a `St. Cuthbert`s
Way` signpost, the path begins to descend across the southern flanks of Green Humbleton and soon you are joined by the Pennine Way from
the south east. At this point, it is worth turning left for 400 metres or so to
the higher ground of Stob Rig where you will greeted
by the Stob Stanes (GR
NT851270). The larger of the two stones, which still stands erect, measures
1.65 metres in height and when viewed up close is impressive. The stones are
known locally as the `Gypsy Stobs` as they mark the
spot where the gypsy kings and queens were traditionally crowned. The true
purpose of the stones is not known, although they may have marked a medieval
border line between England and Scotland. They may even have had a more mysterious ritualistic purpose. We will
probably never know. Turn back towards the Iron Age hillfort
topped Green Humbleton and continue along the green
track of the Pennine
Way
down to the ford (GR NT840276) across the Halter Burn.
4. The annual Yetholm Hill Race starts near to this delightful spot in
June each year. The 8 mile event crosses, amongst others, the four hills you
are about to climb, as the lung pumping participants wind their way over a
switchback circuit of these lovely border `humps and bumps`. Cross the ford and
the green parking area, turning right across a cattle grid and up the narrow
road towards Kirk Yetholm. After little more than 200
metres of tarmac, when a five bar gate is reached, leave the road to your left
and make your way, via a thin path, towards the summit of Staerough
Hill. If there happens to be any livestock across your route which make you
uneasy, keep with the tarmac road to the next five bar gate or failing that a
tiny fence at the end of the stone wall immediately before the plantation.
Whichever one you choose, it is just a matter of picking the best route up the
steep sided hill. Do not be put off!
5. At 331 metres high
this is not a big hill but the view down to the twin settlements of Town Yetholm and Kirk Yetholm is
outstanding. The hill is rounded on three sides but its western flank reveals a
totally different character; a precipitous rock face. The trig point (GR
NT828271), marking the true top, stands at the south western end from which
there are outstanding views. Leave the summit by following the south easterly
descending wall and fence, to your right, to reach the saddle between this hill
and your next objective; Sunnyside Hill. When you are nearing the end of the
small `native` plantation, where two walls begin to converge, go through the
gate on your left (GR NT832266) and continue upwards. Within
200 metres pass through another gate, this time on your right. Now leave
the wall and fence behind and climb in a southerly direction, along a faint
quad track, towards another wall and fence which will, in turn, lead you to the
327 metre top (GR NT833261). Here you are caught between the valleys of the
Halter Burn, to your left, and the Clifton Burn, to your right. Stay with the wall and fence as they first
descend to a col before then climbing to the 336
metre top of the wonderfully named Wildgoose Hill (GR
NT840252). The hill is crowned with the remnants of an oval Iron Age hillfort and this has been designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The summit of Staerough Hill
6. Keeping with the wall
and fence, descend the short distance to the next saddle before climbing steeply
to the summit of Latchly Hill. At 411 metres this is
the highest of the four hills making up this high quality 2˝ mile ridge walk.
The view southwards is dominated by the broad girth of The Curr,
where on the 12th December
1944, a Mosquito aircraft crashed whilst on a practice attack
flight. Both crew were killed and the remains of parts
of the aircraft can still be seen just below the summit on the northern side of
the hill. Follow what remains of the stone wall downhill towards a rendezvous
with the Pennine Way low
level alternative route. This is the head of the Halter
Burn Valley
where, just before a gate is reached GR
NT851242), you turn left to follow the clear path northwards to reach the
ruined buildings of Old Halterburnhead. In his 1926
book, `Walks From Wooler`,
W. Ford Robertson perfectly described the view from here which, even all those
many years ago, was “…. a ruined cottage“. He said, “……..the Curr towers in front of you, the high ridge of Steer Rig is
on your left and Latchly Hill is on your right
whilst, to the north, White Law rises abruptly and forms quite an imposing
feature”. Now you must leave the valley,
crossing first the infant Halter Burn (GR
NT852252), and head north eastwards on the green track which climbs
diagonally up the bracken covered hillside towards the depression between White
Law and Steer Rig. Once reached, you are again on the main Pennine
Way (GR
NT858256) and are immediately confronted with the stiff, al beit short, climb to the top of White Law.
7. Take time to catch your breath on the
430 metre high top and enjoy the fantastic view back towards The Curr and Black Hag and down to the Halterburn Valley. With the mat grass blowing in the wind it is easy to understand how
this hill acquired its name. The grass, which produces erect spikes in
June, bleaches to almost white as autumn approaches and remains that colour throughout the winter. Time now to part company with the Pennine Way, which hurries off towards its final goal
of Kirk Yetholm. Turn right through the small gate
and, heading north eastwards, drop downhill to Wideopen
Head (GR NT861265) where a track climbs up from Trowupburn,
to your right, and then heads north westwards towards the ancient border
crossing of the White Swire. Turn right and follow
the green track as it heads downhill across the flanks of Madam Law towards the
farm of Trowupburn (GR NT876265). When you reach an
oblong stone sheep enclosure be sure to turn right
downhill towards the `hidden` farm buildings. In the reign of King John, the
younger brother of `Richard the Lionheart`, the land
around the white walled Trowupburn was granted to the
Cistercian monks of Melrose Abbey. Continue in front of the buildings,
following the `College Valley` signs, and, crossing the Trowup Burn, head along the track towards the plantation
engulfed Sinkside Hill. Pass through the five bar
gate and into the plantation. Enjoy the cool shade of the trees for the next 1
mile before finally emerging (GR NT888265) into the full daylight of the College Valley. Turn left along the tarmac road and savour the delights of this the
loveliest of valleys as you make your way back to Hethpool.
As you prise the boots from your feet, once again take time to enjoy the view
southwards. It is worthy of a repeat performance.
The descent
from Latchly Hill
|
Distance
|
19.3 km
(12 miles )
|
|
Total Ascent
|
770 metres
|
|
Grading
|
Strenuous
|
|
Start
& Key Grid References
|
Hethpool (NT893281), (NT873284), (NT865278),
(NT851270), (NT840276), (NT828271),(NT832266), (NT833261), (NT840252),
(NT851242), (NT852252), (NT858256), (NT861265), (NT876265) & (NT888265)
|
|
Time
|
6 hours
|
|
Nearest
Town
|
Wooler
|
|
Terrain
|
Stretches of tarmac, green tracks, steep ascents &
descents, grass covered pathless hills & a forest track
|
|
Maps
|
OS Explorer
(1: 25000 ) OL 16. Harveys Superwalker
(1:40000 ) The Cheviot Hills
|
|
Accommodation
|
Wooler
Youth Hostel. Telephone 01668 281365. Small hotels & guest houses in Wooler & two caravan parks/camp sites
|
|
Public
Transport
|
None (
except to Wooler )
|
|
Tourist
Information
|
Rothbury National Park Centre. Telephone 01669 620887
|
Devised, written &
photographed: Geoff Holland 2006