Walks from Fenton Hill
There are wonderful walks on the doorstep from all of our Northumberland cottages at Fenton Hill for those wanting a gentle stroll with their dog or for the serious walker.
 
A stroll up the track from the cottages
 
A short walk up nearby woodland
 
Routin Linn waterfall and cup and ring markings are under 2miles from the cottages.
Goats Crag with its panoramic views is another 1mile from Routin Linn.
Ford Moss a nature reserve managed by The Northumberland Wildlife Trust, a site of special scientific interest where a raised peat bog has been formed over the last 5000 years in a natural basin. Much of it is covered with Heather, Cotton grass and Sphagnum moss along with Sundew and Cranberry. Look out for Short Eared Owls and Skylarks amongst the wildlife in this quiet little area where a mining village once stood, but now only the chimney remains. Ford Moss is 2miles to walk by road or about 4miles when walking over Goats Crag.
Northumberland National Park
It is only a short 20 minute drive from Fenton Hill to the Northumberland National Park which offers some of the best hill walking in Britain with walks ranging from short leisurely strolls to more challenging hill and moor land treks.
Wooler Common has a mix of maturing plantation woodland and open 'common', criss-crossed by a network of public and permissive paths. An easy access trail encircles two picturesque ponds at the heart of this mixture of mature woodland and open common. This is suitable for wheel chairs and has information boards, seats at various stopping places and a picnic area.
 
The Harthope valley is a picturesque valley, especially in autumn when the bracken turns russet and gold. Alongside of the burn in the valley bottom are wide grassy areas which are an ideal place for a picnic. There are a number of tracks leading from the valley into the hills for those wanting a more strenuous walk including the route to climb The Cheviot which is the highest of the Cheviot hills. The circular route can take up to 8 hours to complete. The top of Cheviot is a platau which doesn't have good views. Nearby Cold Law has amazing 360 degree views and is well worth the climb.
The College valley is one of the most awe-inspiring valleys in the Cheviot Hills. It is a tranquil open valley which provides many walking routes including four fantastic Hillfort heritage trails to explore the rich archaeology. Many of the trails provide outstanding views and the herd of wild goats can often be seen. Many of our guests are amazed at how few people they meet walking in the hills.
Humbelton Hill Fort is an great walk for those wanting something a bit more strenuous. It takes 20minutes to drive to the start of the walk and the circular walk takes about 90minutes. It’s a great taster of walking in the Cheviots.
Yeavering Bell is another circular hill fort walk with is a bit more strenuous than Humbelton and takes about 3 and a half hours to complete.
Linhope Spout
One of the most popular locations in the county is the Breamish Valley, a few miles to the west of Powburn which aboui 20-30minutes from our Northumberland cottages.
At the end of the road you will need to park, and then a two-mile walk will bring you to the waterfall of Linhope Spout, on the Linhope Burn which is a tributary of the River Breamish.
This is one of the most photogenic locations in the Cheviots.
Visit www.cheviotwalks.co.uk to find many walks in the cheviots.
www.northumberland-walks.co.uk shows amazing photo's of many walks.
www.northumberlandscapes.co.uk shows photographs of the river valleys of Northumberland.
Quote from Phil and Libby our 'Walkers from Wiltshire'
'Throughout our several stays at Fenton Hill since 2003 we have walked many miles in the Northern Cheviots, discovering breathtaking vistas from the heights of various hills. These are rare 'gems of stone' holding such peace, solitude and tanquility, where the only sounds are the wind through the grasses, the call of the birds and the bleeting of sheep. (One can walk for hours without meeting any other walkers).'
St. Cuthberts Way
Some guests have chosen Northumberland self-catering cottage holiday accommodation at Fenton Hill as a base and walk St.Cuthberts Way, the long distance route from Melrose to Lindisfarne which passes within 5 miles of the farm. This works especially well for those with two cars, leaving one car where you’d like to walk to each day.
St. Oswald’s Way
This is a long-distance walking route, exploring some of the finest landscapes and fascinating history of Northumberland. This is another route that would work well for those with 2 cars. You will find castles, coastline, islands, scenic river valleys, hills, attractive villages, forest and farmland on your walk. From Holy Island (Lindisfarne) in the north, St. Oswald’s Way follows the stunning Northumberland coast, before heading inland across beautiful countryside to Heavenfield and Hadrian’s Wall in the south, a distance of 97 miles (156 km). The route links some of the places associated with St. Oswald, the King of Northumbria in the early 7th Century, who played a major part in bringing Christianity to his people.
www.stoswaldsway.com
Coastal Walks
A Northumberland cottage at Fenton Hill is only 30 minutes drive to the breath-taking Northumberland Coast AONB which offers some of the finest coastal walking in the country. From sandy beaches to rocky outcrops, interspersed with dramatic castles and quaint coastal villages, it is a constantly changing landscape.
The Northumberland Coast Path, part of the North Sea Trail, is a 103 kilometre (64 mile) continuous coastal walking route between Cresswell in the south and Berwick-upon-Tweed in the north.
Cheswick beach,
Bamburgh beach
Dunstanburgh Castle
St. Abbs Head
Formed by active volcanoes, St Abb’s Head is the best-known landmark along the magnificent Berwickshire coastline. This is about a 45minute drive from Fenton Hill. Here, a complex coastline of sheer cliffs, offshore stacks and narrow gullies provide scenic beauty and a habitat for some outstanding wildlife. Although best known as a seabird colony, this National Nature Reserve includes 200 acres of grasslands rich in flowers, a freshwater loch and a steady stream of migrant birds in spring and autumn.
www.northumberland-coast.co.uk
Woodland Walks
Hepburn Woods near Chillingham has various way marked walks and lovely views of the hills. Nearby Ros Castle (not a castle at all) is a viewpoint that has 360degree views in all directions. On a clear day 7 Northumbrian castles can be seen. It a short walk with quite a steep climb but well worth the effort. There's a topograph that shows the distances and direction of different places.
Thrunton Wood is planted on Thrunton Crag - a steep escarpment of sandstone and so provides plenty of views with the Cheviot hills providing the backdrop. Three walks of varying length and distance provide walkers with a chance to get right into the wood and explore. Thrunton is signposted from the A697.
Holystone near Rothbury is a lovely place to visit. It grew up around a nunnery in 1124 and offers many historical points of interest. There are waterfalls, crags and plenty of aged broadleaved woodland which is a delight to walk in at any time of year. One of the trails (with red way markers) ventures out of the wood onto Holystone Common.
The Simonside Hills lie within Northumberland National Park on the northern-most edge of Harwood forest and have beckoned walkers for years because of their wild and rugged beauty. The range dominates the skyline forming a dramatic southern backdrop to the middle reaches of the River Coquet. The climb up the hills is rewarded with the whole panorama of the Cheviots to the north and from the top of Simonside itself the whole Northumbrian coastline is revealed. Waymarked walking routes explore both forest and hill and range from just one mile in length and nothing too steep to over four miles with a climb up to 430 metres. Simonside is 2 miles south of Rothbury which is about a 30minute drive from Fenton Hill.
www.forestry.gov.uk/northeastengland |
