Trail Running Planet · Northumberland · Cheviot Hills
The Cheviot and the Pennine Way from Wooler
This links the two great paths of the north in one loop: the final stretch of the Pennine Way over the Border Ridge, and the Wooler stage of St Cuthbert's Way back through College Valley. Almost nobody runs the whole thing.
Distance
45.9 km
Ascent
1,664 m
Descent
1,661 m
Max elevation
814 m
Route type
Loop
Est. time
6h 25m – 8h 40m
Grade
Expert
Navigation
map_skills
Parking
NE71 6BL
Dogs
Welcome
Best seasons
spring, summer, autumn
About this route
A 45.9km round from Wooler with 1,764m of climb, taking in The Cheviot at 815m, Cairn Hill and Auchope Cairn, then the last miles of the Pennine Way along the Border Ridge and a return down College Valley on St Cuthbert's Way.
Hazards & notes
The Cheviot's summit plateau is flat, featureless peat and seriously disorientating in cloud, and the flagstones disappear into bog in places. The Border Ridge and College Valley are remote, with mobile signal usually only within 500m of the tops, and the Auchope refuge hut is the only shelter between Wooler and Hethpool. Wet flagstones are slippery at running pace. This is a full mountain day and needs to be treated as one.
Emergency
Call 999 or 112 → ask for Police → request Mountain Rescue. Register Emergency SMS: text "register" to 999.
Full route, GPX download & live conditions:
https://trailrunningplanet.com/routes/england/northumberland/cheviot-hills/cheviot-pennine-way-wooler
trailrunningplanet.com