Always take a map and compass with you. ©Crown copyright 2019 Ordnance Survey. Media 058/170 km (^2468101214)
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Start/Finish
Parking area at
Hethpool, College Valley
GR: NT893280
Continue along road. Turn R
signed ‘Border Ridge 2½’.
2
Go through metal gate.
Turn L past sheep pens and
through second gate. Stay with
fence/track to ford. Cross and
turn R through gate. Continue on
low-level track, criss-crossing
burn via shallow fords.
3
At circular sheep stell cross
unnamed burn. Turn L up
obvious spur on intermittent
quad track, turning slightly R
as gradient eases.
Blackhaggs Rigg
Northumberland ENGLAND
15.7km/9.7 miles/5-6 hrs
Ascent 800m/2630ft^4
THE MORNING had
started as perfectly as I
could have hoped for: a
lawless blue sky, a College
Valley chorus of birdsong,
patches of stitchwort and
a hare grazing happily
nearby. A bank of wild
primroses plunged down to
a crystal-clear burn and the
distinctive shrieking of a far-
of pheasant echoed across
the long valley. Everywhere
was awash with lowering
gorse. I was about to leave
the narrow, undulating road
behind. All seemed well
with the world.
I turned uphill, climbing
through an avenue of mature
conifers. hen, just like that,
a roe deer sauntered out of
the dense green canopy and
onto the cone-littered
4
Follow faint sheep trace L
across burn. Aim magnetic
east on intermittent sheep trace
(in time ignoring quad track
heading R) to reach quad track
arriving from L.
5
Turn R uphill to fence and
then gate on L. Go through
and take track half L over
Blackhaggs Rigg.
6
Join valley road and turn L.
Fifty metres after bridge
over Whitehall Burn turn L on
forest track. When track bends L
stay with forest edge to col
between Sinkside and Loft Hills.
7
Cross stile and turn R.
After 100 metres descend L
to track and turn L.
8
Go through metal gate and
turn R past farmhouse to
join road.
9
At signpost turn R over stile
and follow ‘Hillforts Trail’
markers to cairned summit.
10
Continue with markers. At
plantation head R to valley
road. Turn L to walk back to start.
Gradient proile Metres above sea level
Geoff Holland
enjoys a College
Valley igure-
of-eight
The Great Outdoors Spring 2019 91