Black Knowe

Rising from the dense forestry of the North Tyne valley, this modest Cheviot summit offers a quiet escape from the busier peaks further east. Its rounded, peaty profile is characteristic of the Border Forest, providing a sense of deep isolation for those trekking from the nearby hamlet of Mouseyhaugh.

• •The name is a classic Northern English and Scots combination; 'Knowe' stems from the Old English 'cnoll', describing a rounded hill, while 'Black' refers to the dark appearance of the heather-clad slopes or the underlying peat.
• •Positioned on the remote western fringes of the Cheviots, the hill overlooks the head of the North Tyne valley and is surrounded by the dense commercial plantations of the Kielder Forest Park.
• •From the summit, walkers can look across the border into Scotland to see the prominent profile of Larriston Fell, while the sprawling waters of Kielder Reservoir are visible to the south.
• •In this part of the Border Forest, the most challenging part of the ascent is often navigating the intricate network of forestry tracks without accidentally ending up in a different county.