Cheviots Summits
Shillhope Law
Situated over 3 miles from the main Border Ridge of the Cheviots, Shillhope Law is an important player in the Upper Coquetdale scene and a Marilyn to boot.
| Height (m) | 501 |
|---|---|
| Height (ft) | 1644 |
| Grid Ref: | NT873096 |
| Classification: | Marilyn, Dewey |
| Trig Point: | Yes |
| No. of Visits | 1 |
Shillhope Law Gallery: Click on the photos below to enlarge.
More about Shillhope Law: From its beginnings on Coquet Head the River Coquet flows in a generally north-eastern direction for almost five miles. After doing a few loops around Hindside Knowe and Tindale Law the river is suddenly deflected from its north-eastern course and forced south by a major obstacle - Shillhope Law.
Shillhope Law itself is towards the end, and is the highest point of, a three mile long ridge leading south from the main Border Ridge. To the west this ridge is bounded by Hepden Burn and then the River Coquet whilst to the east the ridge is separated from the neighbouring hills by the steep-sided valley of Usway Burn.
Shillhope Law can be climbed quite conveniently on reasonably clear paths from Barrowburn and from Shillmoor. On the one occasion I have climbed it I took a slightly less orthodox approach by walking up Usway Burn from Shillmoor before climbing the steep pathless slopes of neighbouring Kyloe Shin from where it was an easy walk on to Shillhope Law.
Whilst this route fitted my own objectives the climb was awkward given the summer covering of bracken on the slopes of Kyloe Shin and is not one I'd necessarily recommend. A rather better, though longer, route would have been to continue alongside Usway Burn as far as Fairhaugh before taking the track out of the plantation and then heading for the top of Kyloe Shin and then on to Shillhope Law.
The summit is similar to Windy Gyle and Hedgehope Hill in that it is crowned by an ancient cairn with an Ordnance Survey trig column placed inside it. The views are good and are particularly extensive to the south overlooking the Otterburn Training range, and to the south-east towards the Simonside Hills. To the west more distant views are blocked by the Border Ridge which is, for the most part higher than Shillhope Law.
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