College Valley

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Please use an OS map on this walk

From Hethpool car park turn left andfollow the valley road up to CuddystoneHall and the War Memorial dedicated to airmen killed in the Cheviots 1939 - 1945. At theHall take the left hand fork in the road andcross over the burn at Sutherland Bridge.Keep going up the track for a short distance.

Turn left at the corner of the fenceand go through the wicket gate, by thefootpath sign to ‘Hethpool Mill’. Follow the grassy track uphill, passing through a gate. Just before the second gate leavethe track and bear left down through thetrees. Continue on the path along the hillside, keeping the fence on your right.

Keep to the path, downhill, cross the burn and go up the other side.Continue along the path, following thefence line.

Make your way downhill, cross theburn and follow the path uphill, (quite asteep climb), to the wicket gate ahead.

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Go through the gate, follow the pathdown through the trees. At the bottom of the bank follow the path along the riverside to the wicket gates ahead. Gothrough the gap in the fence to the left of the gates. Continue on along the haugh-land (flat grassy land beside the river) keepingto the grassy track through the gorse.

At the corner of the wall/ fence gothrough the field gate and turn left up thegrassy bank. At the top of the bank turnleft through the wicket gate and continuethrough the recently planted area. Follow thepath down the steps through the trees andcontinue walking along the valley bottom.

Cross the stile and follow the paththrough the field towards Hethpool Mill.(Look out for the Wild Cheviot Goats on thehillsides near here.)

Join the track and turn left, followingit over the College Burn. At the road turnleft back to Hethpool and the car park.

MODERATEWalk

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© Crown Copyright and database rights (2014) Ordnance Survey Licence Number 100022521

Start OS Grid Ref: NT 893 280 Parking: Hethpool - National Park Car Park

Local Services: Wooler & Milfield Public Toilets: Wooler

Terrain: Road, tracks and footpaths - some steep inclines

Description: A great new route that introduces the walker to the tranquil College Valley,look out for the Wild Cheviot Goats on the hillside near Hethpool Mill

No Vehicles beyond this point

Grade: Moderate Distance: 4.75 miles (7.65 km) Time: 2 hours 30 mins Map: OS OL16 1:25000 The Cheviot Hills

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Look up to Wester Tor

Start

Cuddystone Hall

War Memorial

War Memorial

HethpoolTo Kirknewton,Milfield & Wooler

Wild Cheviot Goat

College Valley

Wild CheviotGoatsThe feral goat herdsin the Cheviots areregarded as an excellent example of our original landrace goat; the primitive, unimproved goat that helped sustain peopleof the British isles from the times of the earliest Neolithic farmers. Evocative ofbygone eras, and pre-dating all our moderngoat breeds, the herds are of cultural and historic value. now living a totally wild existence, these shaggy coated and longhorned wild cheviot goats are hardier thanmodern breeds.

The goats are approachable enough to offergood views and offer no threat to walkers ifleft alone. During most of the year, they arein small family groups, larger numbers may beseen together during the autumn rut whenclashes between males happen. They kid frommid February onwards, females sometimesleave new born kids lying up in shelteredspots while they go off to graze. These arenot abandoned so please leave them wherethey are - mum will come back for themeventually.

Please keep dogs on a lead when in the vicinity of the goats and other livestock.

Wild Cheviot Goat

Kirk Yetholm

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College Burn looking up to Newton Tors

College Valley near Hethpool

Getting thereFrom Wooler: Follow the A697 north outof Wooler for approx 2.5 miles. At Akeldturn left onto the B6351, signed ‘Kirknewton.’Continue along this road for 3.5 miles, passing Kirknewton and on to Westnewton.Turn left here onto the single track road,signed ‘Hethpool’. Continue along this singletrack road for 1.75 miles. Just beyondHethpool the car park is on the left.

Local facilitiesMilfield 8 miles north, is a small village onthe edge of the Cheviot Hills. Cafe Maelminis open all day, everyday, serving coffee andcakes, meals and snacks, beers and wines. Itis also a Northumberland National ParkInformation Point, with free WiFi. NE71 6JDwww.cafemaelmin.co.uk

Wooler 8 miles east, is a small town andgateway to the Cheviot Hills, making it anideal base for walking and cycling.

Wooler Tourist Information Centre, with freeWiFi, is packed with information on what todo, where to go and where to stay in andaround north Northumberland. NE71 6BLApril to October - Open every day. November to April - Monday to Saturday.www.wooler.org.uk

Kirk Yetholm 9 miles to the west, is a small village. The Border Hotel is also a NationalPark Information Point. Open daily for mealsand drink, it also offers accommodation. TD5 8PQ www.theborderhotel.com

College Valley and College BurnThe College Burn is part of the Tweedcatchment and is important for migratoryfish – salmon and sea trout, as well as resident brown trout and brook lamprey.Clean river ecosystems support otterswhich can be found here, although you may be more likely to find evidence ofthem - tracks and spraints - rather thanactually catching a glimpse of them! Heron,dipper, common sandpiper and grey and piedwagtail are all often seen along the CollegeBurn too.

The majority of the semi-natural broad-leaved woodland remaining in the Cheviotscan be found in the College Valley, anexample of this is Harrowbog. The wood-lands generally comprise sessile oak and ash but many are dominated by smallertrees such as rowan, downy and silver birch.Alder is found along rivers and wet areastogether with willow.www. college-valley.co.uk

Hethpool