The Cheviot from Hethpool - Northumberland 22 June 2015.

The Cheviot from Hethpool and Return
Northumberland
Distance 24.5km Climb 975m
Monday 22 June 2015

This was the first time I had looked at walking this route.  Although dry when I started I could see the mist on the Cheviot.  It had been some time since I had last walked in the rain and mist so it would be good to practice my navigation in poor visibility.

I had left my car at the car park at Hethpool 120m and headed south along the road.  Through The College Valley.  The map shows the road as a bridleway but it a private tarmac road.

It was interesting along here, as I walked I saw something dip down to the left of the path.  It had a fur tail but when I looked closer I saw a pheasant wandering in the ferns, perhaps it was something stalking the pheasant, I was sure I saw a fur tail.  I continued south and passed Whithall another km and I was at Cuddystone Hall where there is a memorial to the airmen who had died in plane crashes in the area during the Second World War. 

I turned south east and took the road down across Sutherland Bridge this took me passed Coldburn then Dunsdale Crag reaching the bridge.  

This was where I was going to turn off the road.  Mist was low but I could see the features Bizzle Crags and Bellyside Hill. I took a bearing and headed off up Mid Hill.  

Looking back down Mid Hill

As I climbed the mist turned to rain and the gentle breeze at the bottom turned into a strong wind as I slogged up. Visibility became very poor my navigation was being tested.  Saying that I knew my direction was up, over edge and ridge another piece of highland was to my front, so up and up I went.  Any path I had started following disappeared, I moved right to handrail the large feature Bizzle Crags. 

I continued climbing and as the ground levelled or as best as it can with bogs. I continued on my bearing and in the mist Bellyside Crag appeared. The rain was almost travelling horizontal directly in my back. I took a further bearing just to a point west, right of the Cheviot top 815m. My catching feature was the path and fence just south of The Cheviot Top.

I knew that I with aiming off to the right, I reached the fence and turned left I was only a few meters off the top, but due to the visibility I could not see it until I was about 10 meters away.

There was only a little shelter from the rain on the west hand side of the monument, so I had a quick cup of tea, pulled up my pants tucked my shirt in, checked my map and set off again. It was not very pleasant hanging about, it was very cold now and the rain would be in my face going down. 

I continued down the stone path east until I reached the path junction.  Another bearing almost north and I set off along a grass path. 

It was still very cold and the wind was strong blowing the rain straight into my face.  As I dropped in height the wind blow an occasional gap in the mist, I could see the valley below me, but it was always covered again by the time I could get my camera out to take a photo.  Continuing down the mist fully cleared as I approached the wood south of Coldscleugh.

With the mist cleared I could see the path I was heading to climb on the other side of the valley. A number of timber lorry’s where on the road to my left, west and they were working a large area of the wood which had been felled.  I could see that the wood to my front, north had been completed harvested and was cleared.  I took the path down through the wood to Coldscleugh 304m.  

After another short stop I walked through the farm, crossed the ford and climbed north west on the west side of the felled wood.  

The felled area north of Coldscleugh 

At the top of the path I crossed the fence and walked to the top of the wood where I turned north west again along the fence line towards Hare Law.  The mist was low on Hare Law as I started walking across the area.  The rain was easing a little, by the time I was at the fence junction at 430m the cloud had lifted and although the ground was sodden it had now stopped raining.

I climbed the leeward side of Hare Law, some of the rocks were slippery due to the wet.  I moved up to the cairn on the top 518m and had a short break in a little shelter from the wind in the dip of some stones.  

Looking south up College Valley

I dropped back to the wall and turned north east and followed the wall towards The Newton Tors.  Over the fence I walked over rough ground up to the trig point.

After a few photos I continuing north east, dropping down south then east around Easter Tor to a stream which I followed down a steep side north.  Along here I saw a number of wild Cheviot goats that I had spooked and saw them run down the hill. 

Near the bottom I looked to join the St Cuthberts Way path.

On the St Cuthberts Way I walked west approx. 2km and crossed the footbridge  towards Hethpool, where I turned left down the road and returned to the car park.

Looking back to Easter Tor and Wester Tor

It had been quite a challenging walk especially through the mist and rain on The Cheviot, never mind it was good. I had covered approx. 24.5km with a 975m of climb.

More to follow

Boz North

Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Northumberland or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow links to other walks up The Cheviot.
Harthope Burn to The Cheviot via Mountain Refuge Hut 12 May 2016
The Cheviot from Langleeford 8 October 2015
The Cheviot from Langleeford 1 April 2010. Look at the snow.