Walk 15 - The Cheviot - Northumberland - Walking Guides - Online store

walk summary

• Distance: 12.5 miles
• Time: 5 hours
• Difficulty: Difficult
• Starting Point: Harthorpe Valley
• OS Map: Explorer OL16

The Cheviot is the highest point in Northumberland (2,676 feet, 816 metres), so is therefore a must for anybody who walks in the area.

The direct route from the Harthorpe burn valley which most people take is quite featureless, so this circular walk takes in two more summits, Cold Law, which in my opinion is a better vantage point than the Cheviot itself, and Broadhope Hill.

By doing this slightly different route it makes this into one of the classic walks in Northumberland.

The summit of The Cheviot is a little disappointing, but this is more than made up for with the return journey via Cairn Hill and then the delightful decent from the source of the Harthorpe burn, which is known for its birds, especially the Dipper.

The walk is a little boggy under foot in places so good footwear is essential and as you are climbing up to nearly 2700 feet warm clothes, waterproofs and emergency rations are essential. Treat it with respect and experienced walkers only.

If you only do a small number of walks in Northumberland this has to be on your list.

Downloading GPS Waypoints? Watch a YouTube film about how to manage them on your PC. Click here to view.

shepherd's notes

A must for the serious walker.

It has been brought to my attention that the state of the path that runs alongside the Harthorpe Burn is far from ideal. There has been a number of 'landslides' causing the path to literally disappear.

This is during the final section of the walk, so please leave plenty of time.

P O wrote, 'May I commend you on walk 15, The Cheviot. The Cheviot has been a mountain that we try and climb most years, but usually just ascending and descending via the same route. But we decided to try your route after we saw you at Bellingham show. Thank you very much. The instructions were superb and the circular route that you have written made for a great days walking. We agree that The Cheviot summit itself is a little boring so the summit of Cold Law, which we first climbed was a far better experience, and it had a few less people on. We are now looking forward to try a few more of your walks'.