Route Map
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Route Description
Seaton Burn Services Exit on Great North Road. After 1.1 miles, turn left on Berwick Hill Road to Ponteland.
Ponteland Turn right onto North Road. Follow the road (approximately 6.7 miles) to the T-junction and turn left to Whalton.
Whalton Turn right immediately after the pub to take the road to Meldon.
Look out After 1.5 miles, turn right and continue towards Heartburn.
Coffee Stop Options
Petrol
Look Out For
Kielder
Kielder village sits within Kielder Forest, the largest man-made woodland in England and a hub for rewilding projects. The area was transformed in the 1970s with the creation of Kielder Water, northern Europe’s largest artificial lake. Before this development, the valley was home to a small farming community with centuries-old ties to the border reiving traditions, where families on both sides of the Anglo-Scottish border conducted raids and counter-raids.
Kielder is home to the Kielder Viaduct, built in 1862 as part of the Border Counties railway line. Its Gothic design, featuring battlements and arrow slits, was influenced by nearby Kielder Castle.
Jedburgh
Jedburgh was a strategic royal burgh with its imposing 12th-century Augustinian abbey, founded by King David I, dominating the town. Mary Queen of Scots stayed here in 1566, and a house commemorating her visit remains a popular attraction. Due to its location near the English border, Jedburgh suffered repeatedly during the border wars, earning the motto “Strenue et Prospere” (With vigor and success) for its resilience through centuries of conflict. Jedburgh played a key role in medieval trade and governance.
Town Yetholm
Town Yetholm has a fascinating connection to the Romani people of Britain. From the early 18th century until 1902, it was considered the headquarters of the Romani people in Britain and was home to their “kings” and “queens.” The settlement became renowned for its unique cultural blend, with the last Romani king, Charles Blyth, being crowned here in 1898.
Kirk Yetholm
Kirk Yetholm, the sister settlement to Town Yetholm, marks the northern terminus of the Pennine Way, Britain’s oldest national trail. The village green houses an ancient “dip stone” used in baptisms for generations. Kirk Yetholm gained notoriety in the 18th century as a smuggling center due to its strategic location near the border, with contraband goods frequently moved through the village to avoid taxation.
The area also has ancient hill forts and bronze artefacts dating back to 1150-750 BC.
Morebattle
Morebattle derives its name from the Old English “mere-botl” meaning “dwelling by the lake.” The village has ancient origins, with St Cuthbert possibly establishing a chapel here in the 7th century, and served as a passage for pilgrims travelling to Lindisfarne. The nearby Linton Church features a remarkable 12th-century stone carving depicting a knight slaying a wyvern (dragon), commemorating a local legend of a beast that terrorized the area.
Wooler
Wooler served as an important market town since medieval times, with its market charter granted in 1199. It was central to the medieval wool trade and became a vital staging post for armies crossing the border during Anglo-Scottish conflicts. In the 19th century, Wooler gained popularity as a health resort, with visitors drawn to its clean air and the surrounding Cheviot Hills, earning it the nickname “Little Switzerland.”
Wooler is also close to Yeavering Bell, Northumberland’s largest Iron Age hillfort.
Flodden Field
Flodden Field was the site of one of the bloodiest battles in British history in 1513, where King James IV of Scotland was killed alongside thousands of Scottish nobles and soldiers fighting against the English forces under the Earl of Surrey. This decisive English victory dramatically altered the balance of power between the kingdoms and remains one of Scotland’s greatest military disasters.
Alnwick
Alnwick has been dominated by its impressive castle since the Norman period, and has been home to the Percy family (Dukes of Northumberland) since the 14th Century. The town retains much of its medieval character with narrow streets and ancient buildings. Alnwick Garden, created by the current Duchess of Northumberland, includes a controversial Poison Garden featuring deadly plants. The town also houses one of Britain’s largest second-hand bookshops in the former Victorian railway station.