Cheviot Hills – My useful insider info in exchange for your useful info

Just in case you were wondering… The conditions in the Cheviot Hills are absolutely perfect right now, dry as a bone! We were out for a hike up Windy Gyle yesterday (and yeah, it was incredibly windy!),we walked from Rowhope, Windy Gyle and back via The Street, and all the paths we walked were lovely and dry and compact. Not a bog or squidgy section of grass in sight. Some pics below. I grew up nearby and my grandparents farmed all their lives around the Cheviots but I never really ventured out much into the hills for fear of a never ending trudge through soft grass and peat bog. Maybe I was wrong?

On which note, my question for you – which are the best bits of trail to ride in the Cheviots?

Here’s some pics:

I spent an hour or so at lunch rebuilding the wall on the north side (right) and a little on the left side too as it was mostly fallen down and offering no protection from the wind. I could have easily spent the whole day there rebuilding it if I were on my own. If you’re up any time soon, make sure to stick another rock in the wall!

As much as I love the place, there’s precious little in the way of trails that are worth riding for their own sake (over and above where they take you and the views you get).

The drop down to The Middle from Clennell Street, and the bridleway down the Usway Burn are bits that spring to mind, but don’t expect world-class singletrack.

Big area of nothingness, meet a few goats, sit by a burn and watch the dippers. Just think of it as Gone Fishing instead of Top Gear

@AnyExcuseToRide – did you see the random road signs on the north side of the ridge?

Do you mean the metal stars? Are they for the ranges maybe warning for archeological sites?

No these…right up on the ridge and rather incongruous

https://sacredlinesmtb.co.uk

Davy is a local mtb guide and can advise on good riding in the cheviots proper. Personally I don’t find the cheviots that exciting (long trudges) however there is some incredible trails around Rothbury.

Obviously depends what you’re looking for or call exciting…. there are a couple of loops from the Scottish side; (1) Halterburn loop which starts just over the hill from Kirk Yetholm and (2) Heatherhope loop (named after the reservoir) that starts from Hownam village hall.

Both about 12 miles with 2000 odd feet of (tough) climbing, 360 views are great on clear days.

No these…right up on the ridge and rather incongruous

Yeah some of trails are BOATs.

Cheviots is not about singletrack, it has that though, it’s about big miles, big climbs and epic views.

Nice Border by the way.