NORTH EAST
18 NORTHUMBERLAND SIMONSIDE & LORDENSHAWS FORT
■Distance: 7 miles/11.1km ■Time: 3½ hours ■Grade: Moderate
Ranged to the south it weaves between outcrops site of a medieval fire beacon, begins. Heading west past the where this circular route Age hillfort of Lordenshaws, scattered on the later Iron Age ‘cup and ring’ marks are left behind rock art. Bronze dead on its lower slopes, and with cairns. They buried their topped its sandstone crags prehistoric ancestors, who held ritual significance for our Rising over 400m, this ridge and east to the North Sea. – to the Cheviots in the north Hills grant far-reaching views National Park, the Simonside edge of Northumberland of Rothbury on the to the blustery summit of Simonside.
Dropping north through pine forestry brings you the medieval tower house at Great Tosson.
Field paths and farm tracks meet with St Oswald’s Way, which leads up between the ancient wonders of Lordenshaws to the start.
1 Start
Cross road from car park to info sign and follow flagstone footpath uphill, ‘St Oswald’s Way’ (SOW).
After 200m, fork R at signpost (leave SOW) up to The Beacon (cairn).
Continue W, through gate and fork L at junction to Dove Crag (cairn).
2 1 mile/1.6km
Carry on W and at next junction, keep L on flagstone path. Follow path zigging up and over outcrops of Old Stell Crag to cairn. Drop down to L and continue W on path to cairn on the true summit of Simonside.
PLAN YOUR WALK
ROUTE
Start/parking Free Lordenshaws car park two miles south of Rothbury, ¾-mile off B6342, grid ref NZ052987 Is it for me?
Seldom steep; uses good, flagstone hill paths (occasionally rough), forest tracks, quiet lanes and muddy field paths. Mostly well signposted Stiles 5
PLANNING
Nearest town Rothbury
Refreshments None on route; but plenty of choice in Rothbury
Public toilets None on route.
Nearest in Bridge Street, Rothbury
Public transport None to start, but buses from Morpeth (Newcastle) serve nearby Rothbury
Maps OS Explorer OL42, Landranger 81
3 2 miles/3.2km
Follow path from summit which swings L then R down to forestry track. Turn L and after 150m turn R down signposted footpath through heather. Keep straight on at juncti
