Hedgehope Hill

Mountain / peak

Explorer Tom

Hedgehope Hill has a softer name than its legs deserve. At 714 metres it is Northumberland's second-highest hill, and the climb from the valleys is a proper outing across open, changeable ground. On a clear day the coast can appear beyond the Cheviots; on a poor one, the hill may keep the entire view to itself. The summit stands in Northumberland National Park, with the Cheviot nearby and the Harthope and Breamish valleys offering different approaches. A route from Langleeford rises by Housey and Long Crags; a longer route from Hartside crosses Cunyan Crags and Dunmoor Hill. The Park's guided version of that longer walk is about nine miles and takes roughly five and a half hours. The high ground is exposed, and its broad grassy slopes can turn wet underfoot. Choose your route before leaving the road, not halfway up when mist appears. Watch the views open over the valleys and give the final slope the respect it asks for. On a bright day the summit makes the distant Northumberland coast feel improbably close. Anyone who describes the climb as a quick leg-stretch is either unusually fit or trying to borrow your sandwiches. This is open hill country, with no staffed entrance or shelter at the top. Carry a map, layers, food and water, and check the weather and access notices before you set out. Paths can be rough or boggy; keep dogs controlled around livestock and wildlife. Turn back if visibility or conditions deteriorate. The hill will still be there when you are ready.

What is recorded here

Map note: Hedgehope Hill is a mountain or peak in Northumberland, England. A hill can keep its own counsel; the surrounding map is ready to explore.

From OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors) n317039752

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