It might look like a very large hill from afar, but The Cheviot is most certainly a mountain. At eight hundred and fifteen metres (2,674 feet) above sea level, Northumberland’s highest summit exceeds the height needed to qualify as a mountain in the UK by just over two hundred metres. Its slopes are almost exclusively grassy and offer several options you can take to reach the summit. Of all of them, I would make a strong claim that Hen Hole is the best route up The Cheviot. It is unique in that it’s rugged, remote and beautiful in a way that the other paths up the mountain just aren’t. Rather than skirting over the surface of the mountain, the deep dramatic valley of Hen Hole makes you feel like you are seeing inside it. It’s a real cracker of a place.
Reaching Hen Hole is no easy feat, but this is part of its appeal. Sometimes the greatest rewards come with a bit of hard graft first and this is certainly the case here. The best approach is to follow the College Burn south from the village of Hethpool. This involves some narrow lanes with some undulations that will most certainly keep you alert. I parked in a small public car park just south of the village of Westnewton because my plan was to cycle part of the way and wanted to add a few extra miles.
Riding alongside the burn seems to be a popular option and I really understood why on the journey in. Most folk ride all the way to the remote youth hostel at Mounthooly, lock their bikes there and then walk the rest of the way. This saves a good five kilometres or so in either direction, which is a good chunk of time no matter how you look at it. Several walkers expressed their jealousy when I rode past them on the way in.
If you do cycle, be prepared for an uphill slog most of the way. I was surprised to have to tackle some pretty steep gradients, which had me out of the saddle and using some of the kindest gears on my gravel bike. The surface was mostly tarmac with some loose gravel at times, meaning you could probably ride most of the way on a road bike if you needed to.
From the hostel you simply follow the clear track south until it deposits you at the head of the College Valley and fizzles out. Here the gravelled surface of the path is replaced by a grassy one, which is no doubt boggy for much of the year. Luckily for me though there was no bog hopping to be done due to the very dry summer of 2026. Thankfully, water was still cascading over the rocks in the burn to give a refreshing backing track on what was turning out to be a very warm day for these parts.
The view that awaits as you enter what almost seems like a natural bowl. Hills rise all around you and all you need to do is stick to the lowest ground and follow the burn.
As you continue to walk, so the entrance of Hen Hole reveals itself straight ahead of you. Even from several hundred metres away you can admire its beauty and the sense of excitement will no doubt bring pace to your walking legs. The only thing that will slow you down though is how the path seems to vanish at ground level. There are now a couple of hundred metres of challenging tussocky grass to negotiate. If there was a clearer track forged by those who had gone before me then I never found it. It may have only taken a few minutes to cross, but it was here that I wish I’d worn trousers instead of shorts. Several ticks decided to join me and I had to stop to remove them before they decided to feast themselves properly upon me. You have been warned.
Hen Hole can be seen directly ahead, but the ground was rough and unforgiving for a short while.
Journeying Up Hen Hole
It was with relief that I reached more forgiving ground as I entered the valley. A narrow but clear path could now be followed and it was an absolute joy to walk right from the off. The scenery was incredible and something I had not expected. Most hills and mountains in the area are rounded and grassy with little in the way of rocky crags like you might see in places like The Lake District. Hen Hole could have been right at home in The Lakes such was its beauty. Perhaps then it should have come as no surprise to read how Hen Hole was first carved by ice during the last ice age. The snow and ice gradually made its way downhill under the force of gravity with the softer band of rock being eroded quicker than the much tougher granite present too.
It really is amazing how beautifully ice shaped parts of our land in the past and has left us with so many incredible landscapes to explore.
Another stunning valley shaped by a glacier from the viewpoint at High Cup Nick in The North Pennines.
The burn that had spent countless centuries deepening the valley cascaded over a series of waterfalls. Some of them were high enough to have created deep plunge pools at their bottoms that were almost begging to be sampled on such a warm day.
I stopped at the first one, as two Geordie chaps were just getting out and encouraged me to go in. They did warn me about how cold the water was but that it was worth it. We had a bit of a chat, as I took my top off and waded in wearing my regular shorts. I would soon dry off afterwards and anyway I figured soaking shorts and pants would keep me cool on the climb afterwards. Perhaps this wasn’t my finest moment of reasoning, but when in Rome as they say it is rude to say no.
I can confirm that the two chaps weren’t lying about how scrotum shrinking the cold water was and I didn’t stay in there long.
Several falls and pools can be found like this on the way up.
Other than the beauty of the burn, what I also loved about this route was how varied the path was. It was constantly changing in gradient and surface meaning focus was needed almost all the way up. One moment I was jumping over wet muddy sections and even the burn itself. In the next moment I was scaling a rocky wall that got the muscles burning in the thighs. No scrambling was needed and it was at no points overly technical. Full concentration was required though. I could well imagine it could be possible to slip and have quite a nasty accident in a few spots. The nearest habitable building is some distance away at this point and it wise to remember this.
This photo does a good job in showing some of the terrain you need to cross. It is challenging in places, but the views all the way up make it more than worth the effort.
What is brilliant about Hen Hole is how the views behind you jus get more and more impressive the further up you go. Stop to have a breather and it is very hard not to be moved by the majesty of the landscape before your eyes. Here you can really get to admire just how much liquid water and ice can shape the land given enough time.
What a view! The burn makes its way steeply down the valley, while the emergency shelter can be seen top of the hill in the distance.
Eventually, you reach the top of the valley and the path levels out. The series of waterfalls also peter out, as the burn becomes smaller and smaller as you trudge nearer to its source. The path naturally veers off to the right and keeps heading skywards. Here it rises steeply once again and slows your pace significantly. The views are once again beautiful though and it was where I decided to stop for a spot of lunch and a drink.
The views you will enjoy as you near the Pennine Way at the top of the path.
Once again, there was a need to negotiate long grass on the final couple of hundred metres before joining The Pennine Way. Not only were ticks a concern again, but horseflies ( clegs to some ) were also a constant nuisance at this point. They hadn’t affected me at all in the valley, but it seemed they were most at home on the more exposed boggy terrain. They really were relentless, very much like blood-sucking terminators who absolutely would not stop until they are fed. Smidge seemed to deter them to a degree, but it is still wise to cover your skin if attempting the walk during the warmer months.
Despite the wildlife on The Cheviot doing its best to disrupt my walk, it was still a very enjoyable day out. I don’t think I will forget those views in a hurry. This is the main reason why I strongly believe Hen Hole is the best route up the Cheviot. Have a great trip and don’t forget your towel and bug spray if going during the summer.