Post by mick on Mar 4, 2015 5:38:25 GMT
The weather people where going on about how dry this month has been (really I knew that with out being told about it) however it stirred something in my brain, will the lack of rain dried out the peat bogs on the Cheviot?
Now I know that I said that I wouldn’t go up there ever again, it’s boring, the views are almost non existent and the choice of routes are rather limited for someone like me. However feeling rather pleased with my ability of late, I decided that I would have another trip up there to see if anything changed , and just to push myself a bit I thought about how I could extend it a bit . A quick look at the map confirmed it; why not try to do Hedgehope as well? So today my self appointed task was to get to the top of the two highest mountains in Northumberland, sounds rather grand.
My better half just rolled her eyes and told me to text her when I am on top of the cheviot & when I am on the way up Hedgehope ( for some unknown reason I get a good phone signal on these two mountain tops but it soon goes once you start dropping some height)
My route was to park up by the Harthope burn as close to Langleeford as you are allowed and head straight up to Scald Hill (549 meters) from there carry on straight to the top of the Cheviot (815 meters) then join up with the Pennine way till I came to Cairn Hill (777 meters) then cut down towards Scotsman’s Knowe from there start the long uphill section to Cob Fell (652 meters) then onto the top of Hedgehope (714 meters) then down (gulp!) to Long Crags & Housey Crags then finally down to the footbridge over the Harthope burn and back to the car . About nine & ¼ miles give or take a few meters.
The weather was good bright and sunny but there was a bit of a haze which didn’t help the views much, with a nice cooling breeze.
Because this walk was going to be the “hardest” one I’ve done to date, I decided to take a bit extra kit with me just in case I had to stop and have a long break or even spend the night out on the hills somewhere. The last thing I wanted to do is getting caught out. So my rucksack was rather heaver than usually but short of a new ice age I knew that I would be fine. As it turned out I didn’t need anything and I did this walk in excellent time , but I will admit that I cheated a bit and used my hiking poles to help me with some bits.
Other good news was the Peat bog had all but dried out and in places it was like walking on a huge trampoline, great fun.
On the down side the path between Scotsman’s Knowe and Comb Fell (which isn’t a footpath at all) was extremely bad; to make matters worse it would appear that some walkers walk on one side of the fence whilst others walk on the other side the result is there are two pathways neither very good but if we stuck to just one side, the path would be so much better as its used more. Come on people lets get our act together.
As per normal a few photos: - enjoy
Heading up towards Scald hill this track soon turns into a grass track then into a pathway.
Nearing the summit of Scald hill first view of the cheviot
Looking back down towards Goldscleugh
Looking back down the Harthope valley
Approaching the cheviot summit
A poor view from the top, due to the roundness of this mountain the views aren’t that good
The trig point, all the peat has dried out so it’s possible to wander around up here, where normally you have to stick to the flagged Pennine way.
Looking across at a the cairns near Auchope
Cairn hill with a very distant Hedgehope in view.
On my way down looking towards some plantation, can’t think of its name but it’s where Davidson’s Linn is .well worth a wander to have a look see.
Still on my way down looking across at Cob Fell & Hedgehope
Not really sure what this place is called it near Scotsman Knowe & the path is almost non excitant
Looking down the Harthope valley (there is a footpath that will take you back to Langleeford from here) but that’s not my route today.
Typical photo of what the ground is like down here , the peat has been washed away in places making it very hard for a good walking speed , however the good news is its very dry at the moment.
Up on Comb fell now looking across towards the Great Standrop.
Now on the lower slopes of Hedgehope looking across the valley towards the Cheviot.
The cairn on Hedgehope
Trig point
Some views pity it’s a bit hazy
On my way down looking towards Threestoneburn woods
Looking across and down to the Harthope valley
Same again just a bit further down
Back across at Threestone burn woods (it’s quite steep at this point)
Long crags
Looking back from the Crags at the Cheviot
Looking back at Hedgehope
The way down
Still heading down, it’s not so steep now (and towards where my car is)
Looking along the valley
Still heading down (I must admit to being a bit knackered now)
Over the burn (note how low the water is)
My route.
Now I know that I said that I wouldn’t go up there ever again, it’s boring, the views are almost non existent and the choice of routes are rather limited for someone like me. However feeling rather pleased with my ability of late, I decided that I would have another trip up there to see if anything changed , and just to push myself a bit I thought about how I could extend it a bit . A quick look at the map confirmed it; why not try to do Hedgehope as well? So today my self appointed task was to get to the top of the two highest mountains in Northumberland, sounds rather grand.
My better half just rolled her eyes and told me to text her when I am on top of the cheviot & when I am on the way up Hedgehope ( for some unknown reason I get a good phone signal on these two mountain tops but it soon goes once you start dropping some height)
My route was to park up by the Harthope burn as close to Langleeford as you are allowed and head straight up to Scald Hill (549 meters) from there carry on straight to the top of the Cheviot (815 meters) then join up with the Pennine way till I came to Cairn Hill (777 meters) then cut down towards Scotsman’s Knowe from there start the long uphill section to Cob Fell (652 meters) then onto the top of Hedgehope (714 meters) then down (gulp!) to Long Crags & Housey Crags then finally down to the footbridge over the Harthope burn and back to the car . About nine & ¼ miles give or take a few meters.
The weather was good bright and sunny but there was a bit of a haze which didn’t help the views much, with a nice cooling breeze.
Because this walk was going to be the “hardest” one I’ve done to date, I decided to take a bit extra kit with me just in case I had to stop and have a long break or even spend the night out on the hills somewhere. The last thing I wanted to do is getting caught out. So my rucksack was rather heaver than usually but short of a new ice age I knew that I would be fine. As it turned out I didn’t need anything and I did this walk in excellent time , but I will admit that I cheated a bit and used my hiking poles to help me with some bits.
Other good news was the Peat bog had all but dried out and in places it was like walking on a huge trampoline, great fun.
On the down side the path between Scotsman’s Knowe and Comb Fell (which isn’t a footpath at all) was extremely bad; to make matters worse it would appear that some walkers walk on one side of the fence whilst others walk on the other side the result is there are two pathways neither very good but if we stuck to just one side, the path would be so much better as its used more. Come on people lets get our act together.
As per normal a few photos: - enjoy
Heading up towards Scald hill this track soon turns into a grass track then into a pathway.
Nearing the summit of Scald hill first view of the cheviot
Looking back down towards Goldscleugh
Looking back down the Harthope valley
Approaching the cheviot summit
A poor view from the top, due to the roundness of this mountain the views aren’t that good
The trig point, all the peat has dried out so it’s possible to wander around up here, where normally you have to stick to the flagged Pennine way.
Looking across at a the cairns near Auchope
Cairn hill with a very distant Hedgehope in view.
On my way down looking towards some plantation, can’t think of its name but it’s where Davidson’s Linn is .well worth a wander to have a look see.
Still on my way down looking across at Cob Fell & Hedgehope
Not really sure what this place is called it near Scotsman Knowe & the path is almost non excitant
Looking down the Harthope valley (there is a footpath that will take you back to Langleeford from here) but that’s not my route today.
Typical photo of what the ground is like down here , the peat has been washed away in places making it very hard for a good walking speed , however the good news is its very dry at the moment.
Up on Comb fell now looking across towards the Great Standrop.
Now on the lower slopes of Hedgehope looking across the valley towards the Cheviot.
The cairn on Hedgehope
Trig point
Some views pity it’s a bit hazy
On my way down looking towards Threestoneburn woods
Looking across and down to the Harthope valley
Same again just a bit further down
Back across at Threestone burn woods (it’s quite steep at this point)
Long crags
Looking back from the Crags at the Cheviot
Looking back at Hedgehope
The way down
Still heading down, it’s not so steep now (and towards where my car is)
Looking along the valley
Still heading down (I must admit to being a bit knackered now)
Over the burn (note how low the water is)
My route.