Scottish Borders Region

Shillhope Law - G/SB-006

Looking across the bridge over the Coquet at Weder Leap towards Shillhope Law

Most of the area around Shillhope Law, indeed much of upper Coquetdale became "open country" following the implementation of CRoW in May 2005. However there are quite a number of small areas that are not included in the "open country" and they ought to be fairly obvious as they tend to be enclosed fields. There are such areas both at Barrowburn and at Shillmoor, but these do not affect the suggested routes.

VHF activation with at least a half wave antenna, is practicable with good signals passing down the Coquet valley into the Northumberland and Tyneside areas.  Summit to summit is possible with other SB summits, LD, NP some SS and possibly SP.

• Take the A697 north off the A1 just north of Morpeth, passing through the Northumberland village of Longhorsley. About 2½ miles north of Longhorsley after quite a long downhill run, in the dip before a long steady rise toward the village of Longframlington, take the B6344 left for Rothbury.  Continue on the B6344 to the village of Rothbury where just as you come into Rothbury the road number changes to the B6341. Pass straight through Rothbury and the next village of Thropton and about  1.8 miles after Thropton where the B6341 turns left, a minor road, which you take, signposted for Alwinton, Harbottle, and Sharperton continues almost straight ahead. Continue on this road through Sharperton, Thropton, and into the village of Alwinton ignoring all other side roads. Arriving in Alwinton the road turns left, passes the Rose and Thistle on the left, and the National Park Car Park on the right, a convenient place for a toilet stop. From Alwinton onward this road is for most of the time a dead end at Chew Green after another 12 miles. However for Shillhope Law there are two suggested starting points, the first you will come to at Shillmoor,  just over 3 miles from Alwinton and the second just before Barrowburn from a car park on the left about 5.6 miles beyond Alwinton.
   
•  From the A1 Newcastle Western Bypass take the slip road signposted for the A696 to Jedburgh and Ponteland, and proceed along this dual carriageway past Newcastle Airport, where the dual carriage way ends, through Ponteland and the village of Belsay, past Kirkwhelpington and the Knowesgate Motel,  till at the hamlet of Raylees 14 miles beyond Belsay, you take a right turn off the A696 into a minor road signposted for Elsdon. If you wish to avoid this minor road which is quite narrow, you can continue on the A696 for a further 1.9 miles, where you make a very sharp right turn into the B6341 signposted for Elsdon and Rothbury. From Elsdon follow the directions from the north west immediately below.

From the north west take the A68 south passing through Jedburgh, past the Catcleugh reservoir and through the Redesdale Forest.  Just over 2 miles after passing through Rochester, in a very short section of dual carriageway, the A68 branches off to the right and the road straight ahead, on which you continue, becomes the A696. Two miles south of this, you will come into the village of Otterburn and about a mile further on, where the A696 turns to the right, continue straight ahead onto the B6341 for Elsdon and Rothbury.  At Elsdon continue to follow the B634 which bears left up the hill at the far end of the village. Continue on the B6341 through the Grasslees Valley and watch out for a road on the left after about 5 miles from Elsdon and shortly after a National Park car Park, that you should take, signposted for Holystone.  After just over three miles on this road and after passing through Holystone you will come to a T junction where you turn left. Your are now on the road toward Harbottle and  Alwinton as detailed above from the south, so follow those directions above. 

From the north east take the A1 south to Alnwick and just after the road opens to a dual carriageway, take the slip road up the ramp and turn right across the bridge toward  Alnwick.  You have to follow signs toward the centre of Alnwick but keep an eye out for signs for the B6341 to Rothbury and take that road.  Just over 6½ miles from the outskirts of Alnwick there is a crossroads of the B6341 with the A697. Continue straight across this which will take you into Rothbury and from here follow the first option directions as from the south above.

Suggested Approach,
For this summit there are two routes popular with walkers and some walking routes traverse Shillhope Law going up one

The trig point surrounded by a cairn on the summit of Shillhope Law

of these and down the other.

Shillmoor Approach:  approx walk in 1.65 miles 2.65km
There is space for parking at the side of the road beside the cluster of houses at Shillmoor NT 88545 07760. From there take the old road that passes between the houses and then take the left fork when it branches shortly after. Thereafter simply follow the track up to Inner Hill, across the ridge, then up to the summit of Shillhope Law.  The trig point here is surrounded by a hollow cairn so careful positioning can offer some shelter from the wind.

Barrowburn Approach:  approx walk in 0.85 miles 1.37km
There is a car park at NT 86630 10400, Wedder Leap, just before Barrowburn in the grounds of what was originally a school. However this parking facility is under threat as the MOD may wish to use the site for other purposes, so it may disappear. From the car park, cross the road and then the river over the bridge at NT 86715 10415. Thereafter as for the Shillmoor approach simply follow the track as is ascends to the summit. Not a lot else to be said.

GPS Route Download,

Shillmoor Approach:
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Barrowburn Approach:
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Post Summit Retreat,
For refreshments after activation,  the Rose and Thistle in Alwinton serves food at lunchtime except on Mondays when it is closed at lunchtime apart from Bank Holidays and is very used to walkers as probably most of its daytime customers are outdoor enthusiasts.  A short distance further down the valley at Harbottle, the Star Inn is a favourite evening haunt of many of the local shepherds. Considerably further down the valley at Thropton, the Cross Keys on the left as you climb out of the village on the other/eastern side has a reputation for its varied fish menu, and the landlady has been known to conjure up fish and chips late into the afternoon for starving walkers.  Of course if your return trip takes you back through Rothbury, there is always the Newcastle Hotel that is recommended on the SB-007 Tosson Hill and SB-008 Long Crag pages.

Last updated 9th June 2005