Kirknewton Hillfort Trail Grade: Moderate Distance: 3 miles (5 km) Time: 2 - 3 hours Map: OS OL16 1:25000 The Cheviot Hills

This publication includes mapping data licensed A Start at St Gregory’s church - the from Ordnance Survey © Crown Copyright and/or E database right 2009. Licence number 100022521. *If you do not want to climb West A heart of the village for more than 800 years. Follow the track through the Hill take the path to the right and follow village, past the Old Smithy. Keep to the it to the stile at the head of the field wall track following it uphill past the ruined by the burn. shepherds cottage on your left. From here you can either take the path back down to Kirknewton, joining onto B Keep to the left track, as it curves the main track that you came up and around the hillside to the sunnier southern turning right, back to the village. side of West Hill. People have probably B F lived here for over 5000 years.You can see that the ground is marked by ridge G F Or you can climb St Gregory’s Hill and furrow and other signs of early field where you will find the ramparts of *E systems. another hillfort. The ramparts on this hill- fort were more elaborate on the side C Follow the track through a gate facing West Hill, perhaps to impress the D and continue past the ruined cottage neighbours! on your left, to a stile. Cross the stile. G Come down the hill along the way- D Take the path on the left up to the marked track around St Gregory’s Hill, top of West Hill where you will find the and return to the village along the road. C remains of an Iron Age hillfort. Retrace your steps from the top back down to rejoin the main path at point E. Hillforts were built by Ancient Britons over 2000 Please use an OS map on this walk years ago during the Iron Age. Each had ramparts of earth or stone enclosing an Start OS Grid Ref: NT 913 302 Parking: Kirknewton Village Hall area where timber roundhouses once Nearest National Park Centre: Ingram Nearest Toilets: Kirknewton Village Hall stood. At West Hill you can see the foot- Local Services: and Milfield ings of stone roundhouses built during Terrain: Footpaths and tracks, may be muddy, some short steep inclines Roman times, long after the hillfort was abandoned. Note: This trail follows permissive footpaths across working farmland, please keep to the path St Gregory’s Church, Kirknewton www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk View from Kirknewton

Kirknewton Hillfort Trail Wild Cheviot goat

Getting there Local Facilities Local History They are attributed to the Iron Age, though there is Kirknewton is 6 miles north west of Wooler. The village of Kirknewton lies at the head Look inside St Gregory’s Church, in no absolute dating evidence Follow the A697 north, at Akeld turn left onto of the River Glen, which is formed by the Kirknewton, for its greatest treasure, a available for either.You can the B6351 which goes through Kirknewton. confluence of two rivers - the College Burn twelfth century carving of the Adoration of find out more about hill- Please park carefully on the roadside verge. and Bowmont Water.There are no services the Magi. Notable people buried in the forts and the people who Please do not block any gates or the road. in the village. Milfield, 4 miles north east has churchyard include (1828 - lived in them from the Cheviot Centre a Country Café and Store whilst Wooler, 1906) the Victorian campaigner for women’s This trail has been produced in partnership with (TIC) in Wooler and from the National 6 miles east has a wider range of services rights, and Alexander Davison (1750 - 1829) the people of Kirknewton Park Centre at Ingram. including petrol, doctors and small super- a close friend of Admiral Lord Nelson.There market as well as a Tourist Information are also memorials to twelve British, Canadian Part financed by the Wildlife EUROPEAN AGRICULTURAL Centre (TIC) in the Cheviot Centre. and New Zealand airmen killed in the Cheviots GUIDANCE AND GUARANTEE FUND during the Second World War.The obelisk on Look out for the wild Cheviot goats roaming The National Park Centre at Ingram the hill across the valley was built by Alexander the surrounding hills, they can usually be has refreshments, gifts and local tourist Davison’s son William as a memorial. seen near .You may also see Public Transport information, it is also an ideal base for hares lying low in the long grass as you walk starting out on a number of walks.The West Hill and St Gregory’s Hill overlook up the hillside. Kestrel can often be seen centre is home to a fascinating display of Kirknewton village, and have both been the hovering overhead whilst buzzard circle high local archaeology with interactive exhibits subject of recent surveys by English Heritage. in the sky. Skylark and curlew can be heard and examples of complete Bronze Age and seen on the hillsides.

A1 pottery vessels excavated from the Breamish Valley. Entry is free. Kirknewton Wooler Hare A697 National Park A1 NP National Park Centre Ingram NP ALNWICK Hadrian’s Wall Ingram Powburn Alwinton A68 Rothbury Rothbury NP

Byrness B6341Elsdon KIELDER WATER Kielder & FOREST Otterburn A696 MORPETH B6320 Bellingham A68 A1 NORTHUMBERLAND A696

NP Once Brewed A69 NEWCASTLE Haltwhistle HEXHAM This publication includes mapping data licensed from Ordnance Survey © English Heritage © Crown Copyright and/or database right 2009. Licence number 100022521. National Park Centre at Ingram Archaeological plan of the hillfort remains on West Hill Kirknewton and St Gregory’s Church www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk