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It has been almost a year since I last paid a visit to the Cheviots and with the way the snow has stayed this year another visit was in order. Travelled up on Sunday morning having sneakily done the mothers day bit on Friday. For a change did a leisurely drive up to Wooler, as I am normally hammering over to the Lakes, and drove down into the Harthope valley on snow covered ungritted roads, getting to the rough parking area at Langleeford around 9am. Saw a pair of boots on a nearby rock so curiously went over and found a pair of waterlogged Berghaus boots which I think the owner will not be recovering.
As I was getting ready saw another walking across the footbridge near to the parking area and going up to Housey crags. He puzzled me as I was the only car in the valley and beyond the parking area the road is private and as far as I am aware there is no accommodation further up the valley. As I saw him going up towards Housey crags I thought I would catch him up but didn't see him or his tracks again. Strange.
Got ready. At the time the air was still and the temperature bitter, below freezing I would guess.
My route then took me up to Housey crags and then across what is normally boggy ground towards Hedgehope Hill. The ground/snow was firm and took the weight. As I ascended Hedgehope there were various patches of ice and the walking easy.
Housey Crags
Hedgehope Hill
Got to the top of Hedgehope just as the cloud started to roll over. I took a break and waited for a short while to capture some pics as the cloud started to thin out. After a short break took the descending path and into a bitter cross wind. I took the opportunity to put on a Montane Balaclava that I just bought and donned a pair of mitts which I kept on a for a few miles. The path then climbs towards Comb fell and I took advantage of the matting as I did so. Onwards towards Scotsmans Knowe and then dropped down into the col that takes you towards Cairn Hill
Summit of Hedgehope
Cheviot from Hedgehope
Having got to the lowest hill point of the day before the climb up Cairn Hill was where the snow was at its worst. The path climbs up the hill and outside of winter it is a straightforward walk up. The snow however was soft and around shin deep. For most of the walk up I used the fence as a handrail to pull myself up and with quite a lot of effort got to Cairn Hill
Hedgehope from the path up to cairn hill
Distant Windy gyle
I got to Cairn hill around 1pm and thought it too early to go onto Cheviot so I opted to walk onto Auchope cairn and take a break there. In normal conditions there is a lot of paving that takes you over the damp boggy ground but today there was no sign of it so you made your own way. Bumped into a Scottish trio on the way over who had come up from Cocklawfoot. Got to the Auchope cairn (s) and considered going down to the Refuge hut to do a return trip that I had done last year
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=49908 but decided to go backover to Cheviot and return to the car via Scald hill
Iced over directional markers
Auchope cairn(s)
Clouds closing in
Cheviot summit
Hedgehope from the path down from Cheviot
All in, another good day. The Cheviots might lack the grandeur of other areas such as the lakes or Scotland and the winter walking does not require crampons or an ice axe but the walking is great and the space is awesome and the miles pass by easily. I watched a programme of late with Robson Green commenting on Northumberland and he said "you might be alone but you are never lonely." I love the place. Its Englands best kept secret.
