Shepherd's Cairn Via Hartside Hill Then Brough Law

Up in the hills near Alnham is a little Shepherds Cairn which is actually a memorial to two shepherds who lost their lives in the winter of 1962. With me needing some fresh air over the winter holidays I decided to don the walking boots and head up to find it.

The plan was to head west along the valley floor, up Hartside Hill, through Alnhammoor, up the Little Dod, then south through Ewartly Shank, before heading back north via a trig point and back over Brough Law.

An early start in the Breamish Valley, but I was treated to a little sunrise.

Then it was 2km following the valley floor and getting a lovely morning glimpse of Brough Law which is part of my return leg.

Way too cold for a plodge this morning.

Heading up Hartside Hill I get my first glimpse of Cunyan Crags across the valley.

That looks like Knock Hill and Hunt Law over the valley and have quite a few cairns.

At the top of Hartside Hill are around 5 homesteads and settlements and quite a bit remains of them. Unfortunately it was a tad windy today, so couldn't get any aerial photos.

There is still quite a decent structure remaining of one of the settlements.

Leaving Hartside Hill I start to make my way down towards Alnhammoor. In the distance I can see the semi-circular ridge of Shill Moor and Little Dod which is my next destination.

Looking behind, the sun has come out on Cunyan Crags and I can now see Cat Crag and Long Crag on Dunmoor Hill too. Just to the left is the Great Standrop on Hedgehope Hill.

Another settlement at the end of Hartside Hill, but not much to see from ground level.

Before I descend I get a much better view of the Great Standrop with Hedgehope Hill and The Cheviot covered in cloud. No change there!

Then down through Alnhammoor, following the permissive paths through the farm area, then back out on the access land towards Little Dod.

And there is Little Dod on the left and the bowl of Shill Moor to the right.

A quick wander to the top of Little Dod and I am treated to fabulous views all around. To the south I have Hogdon Law.

Looking south east I believe that is the Simonside Hills.

And then north is Cunyan Crags on Dunmoor Hill.

A find a little cairn and stop here for my usual hiking snack of Fruity Malt!

Then it was down the bank to Ewartly Shank farm. Even though there is a permissive path through the farm, I usually tend to avoid farms as it's people's workplace and I always feel like I am encroaching. So instead I took a diversion around the back on the access land, however I was met with a barbed wire fence halfway around and so ended up walking a few extra kilometres to a gate. So I have updated the map to walk through the farm.

Just north east of the farm are two cairns called North Pike and South Pike.

Then I get my first sighting of the Shepherd's Cairn and wander over.

Reading the inscription, the cairn is a memorial to two shepherds called Jock Scott and Willie Middlemas who died in a blizzard in November 1962 as they were making their way home from Rothbury market.

Leaving the cairn I head south east as there are a few more homesteads and settlements to explore nearby.

I can clearly see the outer ridges at ground level, but again way too windy to get any aerial footage today. Then I head over to meet the Salter's Road track, but there were lots of cows in the field, so as you may tell from the map, I made a little detour to avoid them.

Just before I head north at Deb Cleugh, I take the path up to the Hart Law Trig Point.

If you aren't bagging the 165 trig points in Northumberland, then just keep heading north as I retrace my steps from the trig point back to the track. At this points my photos are less frequent as it's around 40mph winds and it's lashing it down!

Fortunately I am on solid track for a while. Hedgehope Hill has come out to play, but The Cheviot is still a bit cloudy.

When I am out on a hike I am like a cat who sees a shiny thing and wanders off. This time it was because I saw something on the map called Stone, so had to investigate. Wasn't disappointed!

Then from here it was a clartly trek back up towards Brough Law.

I quicken the pace a bit as the light is fading and although I have a head torch, I don't fancy descending Brough Law in the dark. Starting to get dusk over Cunyan Crags.

Then just a quick walk up to the top of Brough Law. For some fabulous aerial photography, check out our Brough Law And Ingram Hillforts walk.

Then back down to the car park at the foot of the hill to end another spectacular walk. Thanks for joining me on another hike and have fun wherever you wander.