Alwinton & River Alwin Walk Route: Start OS Grid Ref: NT 919 064 Grade: Moderate Local Services: Alwinton and Rothbury Distance: 5 miles / 8 km Terrain: Footpaths, tracks and roads with Time: 3 hours some short, sharp ascents, footbridges stiles and gates Map: OS OL16 Explorer 1:25000 Alwinton The Cheviot Hills Description: A circular walk on part of Clennell Street, an ancient drove road, Start & Parking: Alwinton - National the return route is along the River Alwin. Park Car Park (Toilets here) A From the car park turn left along F On reaching the bottom of the hill, Please keep dogs under close control the road heading into Alwinton. At the go through the field gate onto the pink T-junction cross the village green, and gravel forest road and turn right. Keep F cross over the footbridge. Turn left onto following the road, crossing the River © Crown Copyright and database rights (2017) Please use an OS map on this walk Ordnance Survey Licence Number 100022521 a narrow tarmac road signed ‘Clennell Alwin three times, until you reach a Street/Border Ridge’. crossroads. B Follow the road until the tarmac G At the crossroads, follow the track ends, then keep on the track as it heads round to the right passing through the uphill. Ignore the gate and stile to the field gate, keeping the dry stone wall right, keep on up the farm track. to your left. Cross over the cattle grid and turn right over the footbridge. C E Cross over the ladder stile and follow the track, skirting around the H Once over the footbridge turn left right of Castle Hills, an ancient Iron up the path. Go over a step stile then Age settlement . continue straight ahead walking along the headland to the stile at the opposite D As the main track (Clennell Street) Clennell side of the field. Cross the stile and carry Street G winds round to the left near the top of on along the edge of the field keeping D the hill, take right at the junction to a the fence to your left. wicket gate, approx 50 metres away. Go through the gate and bear left across I Go over a ladder stile and turn left C H the field to the next gate. Go through onto the farm track that you came up. this gate and follow the well worn path Head back downhill to Alwinton and I to the right along the hillside. along the road back to the car park. E Continue on this path passing a B stone sheepfold down to your right. At a START junction of many tracks, head downhill Buff-tailed Bumblebee National Park A Car Park To towards the forest corner. Rothbury NORTHUMBERLAND NATIONAL PARK THE SILL: National Landscape Discovery Centre Kirknewton Alwinton HADRIAN’S WALL River Alwin from Clennell Hill Wood Cranesbill THE SILL Watch out! A little bit of history Wildlife to look out for There can often be timber and large Clennell Street is one of many Drove Roads Wildflowers grow abundantly along the grass agricultural vehicles on the roads and tracks in the Cheviot Hills which connected the verges leading in to the village of Alwinton. Directions - To the walk start point around Alwinton so please take care. market towns of Morpeth to Kelso across Meadow and wood cranesbill, knapweed From Rothbury: Take the B6341 out of Military aircraft and loud noises can often the border in Scotland. Clennell Street was and meadowsweet flower from June to Rothbury and through Thropton. At the be heard from the nearby Otterburn Ranges used by cattle drovers and shepherds, September. They are huge favourites of all small farm/hamlet of Flotterton turn Ministry of Defence Training Area. pedlars and whisky smugglers. The remote kinds of butterflies including common blues right, signed ‘Alwinton’. Keep following tributary valleys of the Upper Coquet and meadow browns as well as bumblebees the road, through Harbottle and into Points of interest were used to distill illicit whisky during including the buff-tailed bumblebee . Alwinton. The car park is through the Kidland Forest was planted in the Second the 1800s. Smugglers like Black Rory Birds that you may see on the moorland village and on the right. Toilets are in World War and is managed by the Forestry made their own whisky and sold it include kestrel, buzzard, wheatear and the car park. Commission. Tree felling has taken place illegally at the remote farms up the whinchat. Alongside the river look out for over the years so please be aware that what valley. Excise-men would patrol the heron and dipper. PuJblic Transport Information hills, stopping and searching carts you see on the ground may differ from Sheep that you will see in this area include T: 0871 2002233 www.traveline.org.uk and travellers for contraband liquor. that on the OS map. white-faced Cheviots which have been bred Local facilities Alwinton Border Shepherd’s The ancient hillforts of Castle Hills and in these bleak, windswept hills for over 600 Camp Knowe look as if they stand Food and refreshments are available in Show takes place on the years, and the horned Scottish Blackface. guard over Alwinton and the entrance Alwinton at the Rose & Thistle which is second Saturday of The circular stone pens that you may see to Clennell Street. also a National Park Information Point. October every year and is are ‘stells’ which shelter the sheep in the www.roseandthistlealwinton.com well worth a visit. winter blizzards. www.alwintonshow.co.uk Alwinton Alwinton Border Shepherd’s Show Scottish Blackface Sheep Alwinton and the Rose & Thistle Elsdon Tower (pele) - a private house, no public access Photos ©: Brian Rogers, David Taylor, NNPA..