The College Valley

Dog Friendly Places to Visit in Northumberland

The College Valley is the northernmost of the 5 valleys which cut into the Cheviot hills. It covers some 12,000 acres of wilderness and has over 100kms of pathways, tracks and just great walking. The valley is privately owned and vehicular access is restricted to just 10 cars a day with an access permit. This makes it one of the quietest places in Britain.

Entrance to the valley, other than if you want a car permit to drive to the head of the valley, is entirely free. There are no restrictions for walkers or cyclists. You will also often see horse riders and sometimes gliders above you. It is a wonderfully isolated and tranquil place.

For walkers.

The Pennine way runs along the border line with Scotland from high on the Cheviot and Auchope Cairn all the way down to Kirk Yetholm this is the section for the last day of many a long trek.

St Cuthbert's Way. The section between Kirk Yetholm and Wooler comes into the Valley at Elsdonburn , passes through Hethpool village and then meanders onwards towards Wooler.

Ravenber Way. This long distance walk from Ravenstone to Berwick also passes through the Valley and basically follows the Pennine Way section until it turns east for Hethpool and out the valley onto the Northumberland plain.

Cheviot. The highest mountain in Northumberland and an ancient volcano. It dominates the southern end of the Valley.

Newton Tors. The eastern edge of the valley. Broad moorlands with feral goats and much evidence of grouse and preparations for game shooting.

The Schil. Just to the north of Auchope Cairn with access via the well laid path for the Pennine Way. The Schil offers great views south intoScotland.

For dog owners.

Dogs are welcome in the Valley but as in any other natural environment owners have to be sensitive to how they are controlled. For instance in springtime the valley is alive with newborn lambs. And then there are times of the year when the ground nesting birds up on the moorlands will need their nests protecting. So yes, you can bring your dogs but please be sensitive to other wildlife,

For historians
The iron age hillfort trail provides a good introduction to the early history of the Valley.
There is also a neolithic stone circle.

There are habitation remains from Roman times and there is also literature about transhumance when the animals would have been taken through the Valley to the high pastures.

The medieval ages would have seen the border wars and the reivers would have used the pass over and down at Elsdonburn for easy access to the rich lands around Wooler.

As the 18th century turned into the 19th the Valley passed to Baron Collingwood. He took charge at Trafalgar when Nelson was killed. In later life he took his titles acknowledged Hethpool and Coldburn.

At the start of the 20th century ownership passed toSir Arthur Munro Sutherlandwho was basically one of the very wealthy industrialists who prospered in Newcastle with coal and shipping interests amongst other things.

During WW2 there were many plane crashes across the Cheviot hills and there is no a rather evocative memorial near Cuddystone Hall. If you are diligent you can still find remains from an American flying fortress which crashed near to Braydon Crags.

Attraction kindly added by Northumbria Byways