A solo circuit around the central region of the Cheviot hills, based on a framework of ten new Dewey 500m hills and including five of the six Nuttall mountains of the region en route. The route covers a variety of terrain and scenery with expansive heather moors, coarse moorland grasses, the steeply incised valleys of the Usway Burn and River Alwin and the wide hill-lined College Valley and Coquetdale. Some parts of the moor are naturally boggy but their sting was drawn by the recent lack of significant rain: easy dry crossings all the way this time.
From leaving Alwinton on Thursday morning until I descended to the River Alwin on Saturday afternoon, I saw only one couple: they were on the principal route up to The Cheviot from Harthope, apart from them the whole area was totally deserted.
I found this backpack pretty hard, due in part to the temperature and humidity which were considerably higher than expected and made slow, gruelling work of the sheltered ascents. I don’t ostensibly suffer from hay fever but I suspect the high pollen index may have had an effect too, at any rate it felt a lot tougher than anticipated.
7 Comments
Another fascinating report Geoff in an area I’m not familiar with. I was on an overnight backpack in the Yorkshire Dales on your first night. My trip was massively busier but I can appreciate what the weather was like. Your mileages look pretty impressive given the conditions, I’d imagine.
Thanks Phil, a good hefty circuit in the heat that’s for sure.
I imagine the Dales would be really busy in such sunny weather, will we ba able to read about your backpack online?.
The second half of my walk was busy, being on the route from Ingleborough but going up I met no one - went over the limestone pavements. In fact the only thing I met was a deer. Not too sure who was most surprised about that?
Writing up?? What with reading all the bloggers on the TGO plus the normal day to day postings is there time? I suppose I ought to put a few pics up online.
Hi Geoff
Wonderful photo’s and trip report as usual.
Superb and I must say another corner of the country I’ve yet to set foot on.
I must say - given the heat you didn’t half do some miles!
Thanks Terry. In that heat some miles are more than others!.
Some really vivid colours in your photos there Geoff. The Cheviots cannot be beaten as a place to get away from it all. People have already said it but you managed to get a few miles in there. I am definately more of a lazy backpacker………………
James,
The almost total lack of people surprised even me for a long route like that, a great circuit that felt very remote at times.