Wild Cheviot Billy Goat

STRENUOUS Walk - Hill of the Goats

Hethpool Linn & Yeavering Bell Grade: Strenuous Distance: 6 miles (10 km) Time: 4 hours Map: OS OL16 1:25000 The

To Kirk Yetholm Start A From the Village Hall turn left along (Hethpool Linn waterfall and College Burn are To the main road. Pass the red sandstone well worth looking at here.) & K buildings on your right that were once B A Kirknewton Railway Station. Cross the E Cross over the College Burn foot- road bridge over the College Burn, then bridge, and turn left. Cross the stile and go over the ladder stile on the left, signed turn right up the hill. ‘Hethpool’. Follow the footpath up the F At the junction turn left, (you are now field to the next ladder stile on the left. Shorter walk missing out Yeavering on St Cuthbert’s Way) and follow the path Bell rejoining the route at Point L down through the gorse, over the burn, up (making a walk of 4 miles/6.5km J B Cross the ladder stile and turn right L the other side and over the stile. (Look out C allow 2 hours 30 mins) following the track down to the haughland for the Wild Cheviot Goats here, they offer no I (flat land beside a river). Turn right along the haughland. After approx 200m the path threat to walkers if left alone.) Continue uphill along the grassy path to the square stone G Yeavering Bell bears right across the valley bottom, away from the river. Go through a gateway and stell (a roofless stone shelter for sheep). follow the track uphill, and through the Join the farm track and follow it uphill to H the wooded area. Carry on along this track D gate at the top of the bank, and on to Look up to through the trees and past Torleehouse. E Easter Tor the ladder stile in the wall ahead.

F G Continue along the track, and just Look up to C Go over the stile and follow the path Wester Tor as it contours around the hill just above before the dry stone wall and cattle grid Hethpool Linn turn right up to the field gate. Once Waterfall the trees on your left. Cross the stile into the woodland, and continue along and through the gate follow the track to the down the well worn path. At the bottom ladder stile. Cross the stile and turn right of the hill turn right and carry on, keeping and continue up the well worn path. Please use an OS map on this walk © Crown Copyright and database rights (2014) Ordnance Survey Licence Number 100022521 the fence on the left, to reach a stile. H At the junction turn left, signed ‘Yeavering Bell’, and follow the path down Start OS Grid Ref: NT 914 303 Parking: Kirknewton Village Hall D Cross the stile, turn right and carry on up a gentle slope to cross another stile. through the heather. Cross the burn and Local Services: Wooler & Milfield Public Toilets: Wooler Continue on for a short distance, at the follow the obvious path as it winds its way Terrain: Road, tracks and footpaths - steep descent down from Yeavering Bell junction turn left taking the path down to to the summit of Yeavering Bell. Description: A lovely walk to Hethpool Linn waterfall, on the College Burn, then up the footbridge. Yeavering Bell (‘Hill of the Goats’) - a great spot to view the wild Cheviot goats CONTINUED OVER

www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk Wild Cheviot Billy Goat

STRENUOUS Walk Yeavering Bell - Hill of the Goats

Hethpool Linn & Yeavering Bell Wild Cheviot Goats

WALK CONTINUED FROM OVER Getting there Local facilities Wild Cheviot Goats Spend time exploring within the ramparts of From Wooler: Follow the A697 north out Milfield 8 miles north, is a small village on Yeavering Bell hillfort. (Here are the remains of of Wooler for approx 2.5 miles. At Akeld the edge of the Cheviot Hills. Cafe Maelmin The feral goat herds the largest Iron Age hillfort in the region. Beneath turn left onto the B6351, signed ‘Kirknewton.’ is open all day, serving coffee and cakes, in the Cheviots are the hillfort the Anglo-Saxon kings of Continue along this road for 3.5 miles to meals and snacks, beers and wines. It is also regarded as an maintained a grand palace. Much earlier, Neolithic Kirknewton. Kirknewton Village Hall is on a National Park Information excellent example people had a temple here. Yeavering Bell hillfort the left alongside the Church. Please park Point with free WiFi. NE71 6JD of our original landrace goat; the primitive, consists of a tumbled stone rampart, originally up carefully. www.cafemaelmin.co.uk unimproved goat that helped sustain people to 2.5 metres high, which encloses an area of 5.6 of the British Isles from the times of the Wooler 8 miles east, is a small town and earliest Neolithic farmers. Now living a totally hectares, within which are the still visible platforms gateway to the Cheviot Hills, making it an of about 130 timber-built roundhouses.) wild existence, these shaggy coated and long ideal base for walking and cycling. horned wild cheviot goats are hardier than J Leave the top of the hillfort through Wooler Tourist Information Centre, with free modern breeds. the gap in the stone ramparts, bear left and WiFi, is packed with information on what to The goats are approachable enough to offer zig zag down the hill following the well worn do, where to go and where to stay in and good views and offer no threat to walkers if path. Cross the stile and follow the wall down around north Northumberland. NE71 6BL left alone. During most of the year, they are to the next stile. Once over this stile continue April to October - Open every day. in small family groups, larger numbers may be on through the field turning left to join the November to April - Monday to Saturday. seen together during the autumn rut when farm track which leads towards the hamlet www.wooler.org.uk clashes between males happen. They kid from of Old Yeavering. Kirk Yetholm 9 miles to the west, is a small mid February onwards, females sometimes K Cross the ladder stile, and turn left up village. The Border Hotel is also a National leave new born kids lying up in sheltered the road and away from Old Yeavering. Park Information Point. Open daily for meals spots while they go off to graze. These are and drink, it also offers accommodation. not abandoned so please leave them where L After the second cattle grid leave the TD5 8PQ they are. road and turn right over the ladder stile. www.theborderhotel.com Please keep dogs on a lead when in the Continue up the field to the gateway in the vicinity of the goats and other livestock. wall, go through the gate and turn right onto the grassy track Keep to this track and follow it downhill to the stile by the road. Cross the stile and turn left along the road back to Kirknewton.

College Burn at Hethpool Linn Cafe Maelmin and National Park Information Point College Burn looking up to Newton Tors www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk