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Northumberland-Walks.co.uk - photographic walks in Northumberland.Cheviot Hills - Rowhope, Barrowburn Circular Walk via the Border County Ride.Introduction This walk starts and finishes in the River Coquet Valley at the junction of the road to Rowhope and Uswayford. There is a small parking area on the roadside at the junction. It may be busy at Bank Holidays and Weekends. The walk starts on tarmac roads that soon turn into gravel tracks and as you climb to the hill section a grassy footpath / bridleway forms the route before you rejoin the valley. Views and scenery are great, even on dull days. Total Distance is about 4.5 miles. Toilets - nearest at Alwinton which you pass on the way up the Coquet Valley.
Walk From the parking area follow the road signposted to Rowhope and Uswayford. The road runs along the side of Rowhope Burn, rising gently up the valley.
Continue from Rowhope up the valley, the road becomes a good track which soon crosses the Trows Burn by a concrete ford. There is a footbridge alongside for walkers.
The track starts to climb more steeply after the ford and after a short while you reach a fairly recent new hairpin section which bypasses the steep old track for vehicles. You can follow this or go straight on whichever you choose.
Much new tree planting has been done here recently and the area is a mass of green tubes to protect the saplings. A bit unsightly at present but no doubt they will soon be hardly noticeable.
Continue the climb up this track until it levels out when you reach a section of forest on your right.
Immediately before the forest is a track on your right which leads to a gate a few yards further on. Follow this track through the gate after which it becomes a good grassy footpath.
This is a section of the Border County Ride.
On your left the ground drops steeply down to the valley of the Hepden Burn with great views to the hills and forests beyond.
Don't forget to stop and look back often as well, some of the best views are behind you as you walk. Windy Gyle and the Border can be seen beyond Ward Law.
Continue along this path which is fairly level past a hill on your right named Barrow Law.
At this point the path bears left and starts to lose height. Ahead are views of Lounges Know, Shillhope Law and the Coquet Valley.
The path bears slightly right and starts to drop steeply as the River Coquet comes more into view.
Soon the path becomes a farm track and continues down into the valley through a gate to Barrowburn which is straight ahead of you.
Follow the track down and through the farm, past a ford on your left to rejoin the Coquet Valley road.
Turn right onto the road past a phone box, with the River Coquet on your left.
Follow the road back up the valley to the starting point.
Notes
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