Northumberland
Auchope Cairn
726M
2382FT
About Auchope Cairn
Standing prominently on the Border Ridge, this high point offers a dramatic perspective of the Cheviots. Its stony summit sits at the head of the spectacular Hen Hole ravine, overlooking the steep western crags of The Cheviot itself. Expect exposed peat moorland and the distinct, windswept atmosphere of the Anglo-Scottish border.
Key Statistics
Rank
3rd Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Cheviots
Prominence
?
10.6m
Nearest Town
Scottish Borders
Geology
You are walking across ancient volcanic foundations. The path consists of hardened lavas called andesite and felsite, which cooled from molten rock to form the fell.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NT890198
Latitude
55.4719°N
Longitude
2.1756°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Old English 'hop', a common Cheviot term for a narrow, secluded valley. Auchope refers to the valley of the Auchope Burn which rises on these slopes.
- •The summit sits directly on the border between England and Scotland, with the Border Fence and the Pennine Way long-distance path passing right over the top.
- •It provides the best vantage point for viewing Hen Hole, a deep glacial cirque that cuts into the side of The Cheviot. This dramatic chasm is home to rare alpine plants and several waterfalls, including College Valley's Three Brethren.
- •Just to the west of the summit lies the Auchope Refuge Hut, a basic mountain shelter maintained by the National Park for walkers caught out by the notoriously fast-moving Cheviot mists.
- •The view north is one of the finest in the range, looking past the Schil towards the three distinctive volcanic peaks of the Eildon Hills near Melrose in the Scottish Borders.
- •While the large stone cairn is the hill's defining feature, it essentially serves as a dry island in a sea of peat hags that would otherwise make a summit stay very brief indeed.