Cheviots Summits
Hedgehope Hill
At 714m high Hedgehope Hill is the second highest summit in the Cheviots and one of the finest viewpoints in the north of England.
| Height (m) | 714 |
|---|---|
| Height (ft) | 2343 |
| Grid Ref: | NT943197 |
| Classification: | Nuttall, Hewitt |
| Trig Point: | Yes |
| No. of Visits | 1, 2 |
Hedgehope Hill Gallery: Click on the photos below to enlarge.
More about Hedgehope Hill: By virtue of a sixty-two metre height advantage over third highest, and near neighbour, Comb Fell, Hedgehope Hill is quite easily the second highest hill in the Cheviots. The sides of the fell are almost uniformly steep and with its dome-like summit manages to assert itself so strongly that it almost pulls off the trick of of appearing to rival The Cheviot for height, if not in girth. This is no mean feat given that The Cheviot is itself 101 metres higher.
The summit of the fell is marked by a shelter cairn which also contains an Ordnance Survey trig point. The views from the top are some of the finest in the Cheviots. Hedgehope Hill's position, a few miles east of the main Border Ridge, means that the views into Scotland are not as impressive as say Windy Gyle or The Schil but the views towards the Northumbrian coast are unrivalled. On a clear day Holy Island, Bamburgh Castle and the Farne Islands can all clearly be seen. Meanwhile to the north The Cheviot looms most impressively.
The first time I climbed Hedgehope Hill in 2008 I shared the summit with a fairly vocal golden plover. On my second visit in 2013 the summit cairn had been invaded by a nest of wasps. I've since heard there were wasps on the summit in 2010 so it is possible they have become a permanent fixture up there in the summer months. To the north of the summit, just out of view is a small cairn which provides an excellent vantage point for the Harthope Valley and an alternative lunch spot should the wasps be out in force on the summit.
Hedgehope Hill is most commonly climbed from Langleeford in the Harthope Valley where it can be used as the first stop of an excellent high level circuit that also includes Comb Fell and The Cheviot. Largely grassy underfoot the climb presents no real difficulties except for its steepness. The climb from Langleeford also has the advantage of visiting first the outcrops of Housey Crags and Long Crags and the opportunity for a bit of a breather before the final 300m of ascent. Of course the route could be done in reverse in which case Hedgehope Hill can be reached via a fairly simple climb from the col with Comb Fell, this would however leave the steeper slopes for the descent.
There are three possible routes of approach from the south, all of which would by necessity start from Hartside at the end of the public road through the beautiful Breamish Valley. For peak baggers a most enjoyable route can be found via Cunyan Crags and Dunmoor Hill, a much more direct route can be taken on a path climbing from Linhope Burn. A more interesting, but less clear, alternative (for ascent or descent) is via Standrop Rigg and the unusual rocky outcrops of Great Standrop and Little Standrop.
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