The best hiking routes in Northumberland National Park

Northumberland National Park is defined by two distinct upland landscapes: the rolling, grass-covered Cheviot Hills in the north and the vast, heather-clad moorlands of the south. The Cheviots are rounded, extinct volcanic domes where walkers follow grassy ridges and sheep tracks over peat. In contrast, the southern section features the dramatic basalt escarpment of the Whin Sill, where Hadrian's Wall sits on bare rock, dropping down into dense coniferous plantations and wet mires.

Underfoot, the terrain varies from firm, grazed turf on the northern hills to deep, waterlogged peat bogs in the Border Mires that require careful navigation. While the Hadrian's Wall path is heavily flagged with stone slabs to protect the ground from high foot traffic, the high Cheviot ridges rely on rougher peat hags and occasional wooden boardwalks over the wettest moss. You will notice a distinct lack of natural woodland across the high ground, a result of centuries of sheep grazing that has left the hillsides open and exposed.

This is a landscape of scale rather than sheer height, lacking the jagged peaks or deep limestone gorges found in other British uplands. Instead, it offers long, steady climbs and wide, undulating crests. The busiest paths are concentrated around the Roman wall sites in summer, particularly in August when the heather moors turn purple, while the northern valleys like Harthope and College Valley remain much quieter, offering rougher, self-navigated walking.