Review of Windy Gyle Music From the Heart of Northumberland

A Cross BORDER JAUNT

It starts its journey where the Rowhope Burn down rushes into the River Coquet at Slymefoot and was referred to on General Roy`s 1775 map of the area as, `The Clattering Path`. These days, this ancient cross border collection road is named on the Ordnance Survey map every bit, `The Street` and provides an excellent high level walking route to a diversity of destinations on both sides of the border. Utilizing this delightful dark-green track at the commencement of your day, this walk is a rollercoaster ride which visits the valleys of the Carlcroft, Heatherhope and Rowhope Burns as information technology crosses the windswept tops of Swineside Law, Mozie Police force, Windy Gyle and Loft Hill whilst clambering over one of the strangest locally named hills in the whole of Northumberland. Along the winding and undulating way, loaded downward with outstanding views, yous volition experience solitude of a kind which is definitely in short supply in this tiny speck of an island we choose to call dwelling. You may even bump into a feral goat or two as you wander happily forth the county`s `fractured edge`. So, grit off your boots and let the good times gyre.

Windy Gyle from The Street

The Walk

1. In his 1903 published book, `Upper Coquetdale Northumberland Information technology`s History, Traditions, Folk-lore and Scenery`, David Dippie Dixon described the spot where you will start your walk as the, �Rowhope fire, having been joined by the Trows burn, here problems between the steep slopes of the Slyme and Barra Police force and mingles its waters with the Dally at Rowhope-burn-mouth�. In other words, park your car on the small, Tarmac-covered area at Slymefoot, otherwise known as White Bridge or Trows Route End (GR NT859114). In one case y'all have stopped the engine, stepped outside and have taken a deep jiff of the fresh morning time air, a quick look at your map of the area will reveal that the spelling of Barra Constabulary, which at the beginning of the day casts a deep shadow over the parking area, has now been amended to, `Barrow Police force`. Such is the march of time. The narrow road which runs alongside the Rowhope Burn serves the nearby farmstead of Rowhope, which y'all will laissez passer on your return route, and the more remote farm of Uswayford, which yous will not pass. The two storey farmhouse at Trows, which is located between the two, is currently unoccupied. Prior to the span being constructed in the late 1930`due south, the burn down was crossed via a ford which can nevertheless be seen (and used) only earlier the burn joins the River Dally. Now that you are primed for the twenty-four hour period ahead, cross over the bridge and and so immediately on your correct, next to a five bar gate, cantankerous over the small stride stile. You are at present on The Street, a track you lot volition follow for the adjacent three.v kilometres (two.2 miles).

The initial climb up The Street

2. Keeping the post and wire fence to your left, follow the twin indentations of a quad wheel upwardly the steady grass-carpeted slope, pausing one time or twice to admire the view of the farms of Windyhaugh and Barrowburn slowly diminishing in size behind you. Every bit the slope begins to ease, immediately before reaching a facing stride stile, look over to your right to see the huge bulk of Windy Gyle dominating the spectacular scene, with the buildings of Rowhope and Trows nestling at its feet. This is your return route. Now cross over the stile and, with the fence however on your left, go on to follow the rails equally it makes an almost ninety degree turn to the right and then begins the dull, easy climb towards Hindside Knowe. The word `knowe` hereabouts means, �minor rounded loma or shoulder�. Continue to and so cross the next facing stile (GR NT849118). Yous volition now have the fence on your right hand side although your boots are even so firmly planted on The Street every bit you continue upwards in a generally northward westerly direction passing through a five bar gate as you go. Apace subsequently leaving the gate behind, make sure to proceed close to the fence rather than slavishly following the rails as y'all make your mode effectually The Slime and the small top of Bought Law. The word, `law` but ways, �hill� and is common on both sides of the border. The views towards the border are extensive with, on your correct, the beautiful valley of the Rowhope Burn down, picturesque in the extreme and, on your left hand side, the lonely valley of the Carlcroft Burn. Alee, slightly to the left stands shapely Swineside Police force, a small detour on your journey to the border. Merely first in a wee while, yous will pass through some other five bar gate (GR NT840127).

The Street and Swineside Police force

3. Continue forwards for roughly another 350 metres after the gate , to the bespeak where a pocket-size stile crosses the fence to your right. Once you have arrived, you will demand to make the short there-and-back-detour, via a faint rails on your left, to the flat, grass-covered peak of Swineside Law. Continuing a decent 457 metres above sea level this colina, which incidentally offers excellent views of the surrounding hill country, is often seen but, seemingly, rarely visited by passing walkers whose sole intent is to peak the iconic Windy Gyle. You lot have other, delightful, `fish to fry` before you will be sitting on top of that particular hill. Once dorsum on The Street, continue your journey by turning to your left, contouring the slopes of Swineside Police force and then descending to the saddle immediately before the steep climb up Black Braes. There you will be met face to face past two five bar gates and a small step stile (GR NT837135). Go through the left hand gate and follow the faint runway equally it bends to the left until you lot are parallel with a circular sheep stell slightly downhill. Now become diagonally right around the lower flanks of Black Braes to somewhen pick up a thin path which runs through a patch of cropped heather and alongside a contend to your left. This fence encloses a section of young native copse which line the banks of the fledgling Carlcroft Fire. This brusk stretch of path can, at times, be rather moisture then take your time. When the debate comes to a halt at Carlcroft Hope (GR NT832138) you volition need to cantankerous over the Easthope Burn down, a watercourse which may possibly be aural only will unlikely to be visible and which arrives from your right through a narrow Five-shaped valley. Be sure to watch where you plant your boots if you lot are keen to avoid `taking an early on bath`. This is a magnificently enclosed surface area of land which is at its very all-time when the heather is in full flower and the air is heavy with the sweet aroma of honey.

The valley of the Easthope Fire

iv. Once safely on the other side of the burn down, head a short distance to your left to achieve the base of operations of the unnamed hill which rises to your right. You lot will come across a thin trace through the heather and bracken covered slope. This is your steep, upward road so, later on a quick swig of your loftier free energy drink, head uphill slowly picking your way to the grass covered, 465 metre loftier elevation of this unnamed hill (GR NT830141). This fine, shapely lump, caught between the Easthope and Westhope Burns, is essentially a spur of the higher, ameliorate known Mozie Law and is not individually named on the Ordnance Survey map. It most certainly deserves better. Luckily, the locals thought then because to generations of Upper Coquetdale folk this colina has been known as, `The Devil`due south Mother`s Grave`. It is also a terrific grandstand from which to relish the immediately surrounding countryside. Have time to savour your visit, it really is a very special place and ane which is frequented by the shy, wild goats that roam the Cheviot Hills. Keep your eyes peeled. When you lot are ready to leave this repose spot, continue across the meridian and descend the steep, pathless slope to the small narrow saddle. Alee, looms the muscular flank of Mozie Law, clothed in heather-flecked grass and with a hint of a quad track heading upwards. Begin your sharp, breath-stealing climb and with a fleck of luck y'all volition quickly locate the helpful rails which soon makes a relentless direct line towards the hidden border argue. Be certain to look behind you as you labour uphill so as to enjoy, admitting briefly, the fantastic view over the height of the hill y'all have just left behind towards Swineside Police force, Tindale Law, Shillhope Law and the dark greenish hill-covering mass of Carshope Plantation. Eventually, and perhaps with some concrete relief, yous will accomplish the post and wire border fence and the paved path of the Pennine Way as they run hand in hand towards Kirk Yetholm in one direction and Edale in the other. You will need to plow to your right.

The Pennine Way and border fence

five. When Alfred Wainwright passed this way in 1965 making notes for his presently to exist published, `Pennine Way Companion`, he remarked that, �the road follows the fence exactly�, adding, �a clear path is forming on the English side of it and this is likely to get more than marked with usage: the peaty surface is slippery and soggy after rain----which means it usually is�. At that time, the route had just been officially opened and since then thousands of pairs of boots take trudged past this spot. Fortunately for yous, an erosion-protecting paved footway now leads you to your next port-of-telephone call, Mozie Police force, picayune more than 250 piece of cake metres away. It is worth noting that in 1965 the Ramblers Clan had erected a series of signs along parts of the Pennine Way, a guide perhaps for navigationally-challenged walkers, signs which Alfred Wainwright said were, �thick on the footing in this section�, with the one on Mozie Law being, �the last of a beginning prepare of 12, the next set of 12 being met across Windy Gyle�. Unsurprisingly, considering the presence of the fence and the development of the path aslope, he considered that the signs, �non really necessary�. The top of Mozie Law (GR NT828150) is marked with a pole approximately six anxiety loftier bearing the acorn National Trails symbol. The panorama on a clear 24-hour interval is without peer especially direct ahead to the Cheviot heartland which is filled with a plethora of eye-catching creases and crumples.

The top of Mozie Law

6. Time now to leave backside the navigational security of the border argue and to pace beyond this flimsy international purlieus on to Scottish turf or, more correctly, Scottish heather. So, turning to face the fence put your best human foot forward and caput into Caledonia, keeping straight ahead until you reach a faint track in a minor dip in the hillside. Turn to the left and follow the runway as information technology begins its winding journey downward Hard Rig. The runway is clear to follow throughout with superb views reaching out beyond the Scottish borderland. In time, the Heatherhope Valley will come into sight with the now redundant reservoir twinkling beneath a sparkling Cheviot heaven. Hills roll across the lonely skyline, long valleys stretch deeper into Scotland, hill farmers go quietly about their business organisation much like they take done for generations. Confinement rules! As the track begins to close in on the valley, you will spot way beneath an old railway waggon now spending its hard earned retirement as an animal feedstore (GR NT815159) . At that place are a number of these old waggons dotted most the Cheviot Hills, on both sides of the edge. How many will yous spot on this walk?

Old railway waggon

vii. You are now continuing beside the Heatherhope Burn down at a superlative of some 256 metres in a higher place sea level and, to your left, yous will see a number of sheep pens. You lot continue your journey by turning correct and following the burn downstream, passing as you skid betwixt steep-sided hills, a hut on your right. Yous volition also cross the shallow fire on two occasions before you achieve the point where the track splits in two (GR NT815163) . Straight alee looms conical Sundhope Kipp a projecting spur of Greenbrough Hill which once housed an elliptical-shaped hillfort enclosing fifteen round and oval huts. The hillfort would have been virtually impregnable on three sides with the just means of access beingness from the higher ground of Greenbrough Hill. To your right, the track heads past a circular sheep stell towards the bulk of Mid Hill whilst, to your left, the track leads to the Heatherhope Reservoir. You now disregard both spurs of the rails as you have reached the turning point of the walk. Your route turns abrupt right up the steep gravel rail which, afterwards rising rapidly at first, begins to climb more gradually over Phillip Shank with fantabulous receding views dorsum towards the Heatherhope Valley. This is a delightful stretch of the walk over primarily wide reaching grasslands scattered with patches of heather and, after just less than 1 mile of walking you will reach a small, unnamed rocky outcrop (GR NT826160) . At a top of 479 metres this cairn-capped spot enjoys an all-encompassing panorama in all directions and makes an absolutely perfect picnic identify. It would be rude non to linger here over a tasty sandwich or ii as you consider the next office of your walk.

The view from the unnamed crag on Phillip Shank

viii. Now refuelled, you take energy to burn and, with less than 500 metres to the gate back onto The Street, it is time to go. Rejoining the track, turn right and before yous have time to interruption into vocal y'all will see alee a small gate. Turn diagonally left, go through the gate, turn right and continue your journey towards the border. On your mode you lot will pass a 3 fingered signpost with i finger pointing northwards to Calroust in the Bowmont Valley and further on another, somewhat incongruous, sign more appropriate to an urban setting than here in the middle of nowhere. You will, no doubtfulness, draw your own conclusions. Eventually, when you lot reach a 5 bar gate (GR NT836154) , turn left on a faint track, which becomes clearer as you lot travel forward, ensuring that you take the right spur when the track splits in two. At the pocket-sized gate in the border fence on your right, go through and footstep back into England and onto the Pennine Way. Turn left. You are now walking along 1 of the finest stretches of this ballsy route over the backbone of England with heart-stopping views downwards the Rowhope Burn and across Windy Rig towards Windy Gyle. Continue over the sweeping grassy ridge, quickly crossing back into Scotland via an interesting stile before completing the final climb on a peaty path to one of the area`southward best loved hill, Windy Gyle. Continuing hither not long later the Pennine Way had been officially opened in 1965, Christopher John Wright, writer of the book, `A Guide to the Pennine Manner`, said that, �Windy Gyle affords a splendid view of the English language side of the hills, while the whole of the Border ridge is in view to the `stone men` on Auchope Cairn �. The author, it seems, was not a man to wax lyrical. The peak is crowned with an enormous Bronze Age burial cenotaph, retrospectively given the handle of Russell`s Cairn in retentiveness of Sir Francis Russell, 1 of the Wardens of the Marches who died near here back in 1585, and a conjugal-white triangulation pillar. At 619 metres above sea level, this is the fourth highest of the Cheviot Hills with the actual summit lying on Scottish turf. Aye, and by the style, the view is absolutely stunning. Sit with your back resting on the triangulation colonnade and soak up the loftier level view, for the remainder of the walk is nigh all downhill although y'all will claim 1 last top before the valley is reached.

Looking back over Windy Rig

9. In one case you are gear up to leave this elevated spot, �with your dorsum to the triangulation pillar, face the edge (southwards) and so caput diagonally correct on a sparse path (the centre of 3 paths, the one not signposted), to reach the postal service and wire argue and a small-scale stile beyond it. Keep the fence on your correct and presently you will attain a slightly sunken rail and a gate on your right (GR NT854150) . Whilst this track is not named on the current Ordnance Survey map many before maps had referred to a track in this estimate location equally Maiden Cantankerous and, indeed, Maiden Cross was one of seventeen border crossings listed in a state paper of 1543. It is a pity that the Ordnance Survey has not recorded this proper name on their map, a step which would take kept this ancient name live and well. At this indicate, the track also marks the border between Scotland, where y'all are now continuing, and England, on the other side of the track. It is piece of cake to think, when you happily crossed the stile now behind you that you lot had stepped dorsum into England. A close examination of the map will tell you otherwise. So, now take that important step and cutting straight beyond the `Maiden Cantankerous` runway and then, with the argue firmly on your right, continue forwards over potentially boggy footing. There is a runway of sorts which heads parallel with the contend and you might but find that this is, in the primary, your best choice. Otherwise, pick what you experience is the best way forrad always keeping in close contact with the debate. Eventually, yous will reach drier, grass-covered ground every bit the gradient jogs downhill. Stay with the fence until the saddle is reached when you will find it easier to cross over to the other side and to continue your journey upwards towards the top of Loft Hill. Finally, after a little scrap of climbing, yous will see, on your left paw side, a small step stile which, in order to reach the bodily elevation of Loft Loma, y'all will need to cross. The summit is unmarked and then you lot will need to employ your best gauge as to where this lies (GR NT849131) . Standing at a height of 450 metres this lonely and, perhaps, little-visited hill enjoys practiced views.

�Now return to the contend and re-cantankerous, continuing your way back to your car past turning left and heading gently downhill every bit far as a gate through the argue on your left. Go through and follow the track, which wanders beyond Sob Colina, until you accomplish however another gate. Here you will enjoy a superb bird`s eye view of the farmstead of Rowhope, neatly tucked beneath the slopes of Hindside Knowe with Shorthope Colina dominating on the other side of the pencil-slim valley. Heads through the gate and, with the beautiful, about perfect, dry out rock wall on your right, footstep out downhill to achieve the private, unmarried track road which runs alongside, at this particular point, the Trows Burn. You volition cantankerous another step stile en road. Now, you are almost habitation and dry, well mayhap not dry. At present turn to your right and follow the well-surfaced road, past the farm of Rowhope beyond which the Trows Burn merges with the Rowhope Burn down and relinquishes its title. Back in the day, when peat was the fuel used by the occupants of farmhouses in the area, the folk at Rowhope cut their peats on Black Braes close to where you passed earlier in your walk. In 1959 a sure Joe Hutton moved here with his wife Hannah to look after a flock of some 700 sheep over thousand acres of steep ground and, also every bit being a shepherd, Joe was a gifted and internationally renowned Northumbrian Piper. In 1980 he was granted Honorary Membership of the Northumbrian Pipers` Guild for his services to piping. Equally you quietly pass this peaceful subcontract possibly you might just hear the ghostly echo of the Northumbrian small pipes sweeping across the loftier footing where Joe one time roamed with his flock of sheep. Or perhaps it is just the subcontract`s generator that you can hear humming a tune as you wander by. The road, which now hugs the monkey flower-fringed Rowhope Fire, will before long lead you dorsum to Slymefoot ready and willing to dip your tired toes in the fridge-cold waters of the delightful and tempting burn. You lot have deserved that at the very least.

Rowhope and the nearly-perfect dry stone wall

Altitude	17.6 km (eleven miles)
Full Rise	915 metres (3002 feet)
Grading	Strenuous
Start & Key Filigree References	Slymefoot (White Bridge), Upper Coquetdale (GR NT859114), (GR NT849118), (GR NT840127), (GR NT837135), (GR NT832138), (GR NT830141), (GR NT828150), (GR NT815159) , (GR NT815163) , (GR NT826160) , (GR NT836154) , (GR NT854150) & (GR NT849131) .
Time	five-vi hours
Nearest Town	Rothbury
Terrain	Mixed cruel with a diverseness of paths & tracks, some good & some not so good & boggy in places. Some pathless terrain. A number of steep ascents & descents
Maps	Os Explorer (one:25000) OL xvi. Harveys Superwalker ( 1:40000 ) The Cheviot Hills
Adaptation	Rose & Thistle Public House, Alwinton (limited), Clennell Hall (including caravan park). Otherwise a multifariousness in Rothbury.
Public Transport	None (except to Rothbury & Thropton)
Tourist Information	www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk

Devised, written & photographed: Geoff Holland 2017

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Source: http://www.cheviotwalks.org/walk42.html

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