Northumberland
Harbottle Hill
304M
996FT
About Harbottle Hill
Tucked into the southeastern edge of the Cheviots, this modest sandstone summit rises above the Coquet Valley. The terrain is a mix of heather and rugged crags, notably featuring the massive Drake Stone. It offers a clear, rewarding vantage point over Harbottle village and the sprawling ruins of its medieval castle.
Key Statistics
Rank
129th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Cheviots
Prominence
?
32.7
Nearest Town
Northumberland
Geology
You are walking across the Fell Sandstone Formation. This sandstone rock forms the foundation of the hill beneath your feet.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NT918047
Latitude
55.3363°N
Longitude
2.1308°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Harbottle is derived from the Old English 'here-botl', meaning 'army's dwelling,' suggesting the site served as a strategic fortification long before the Norman castle ruins were established.
- •On the hill's lower slopes sits the Drake Stone, an enormous sandstone erratic left by glaciers. Local tradition once held that the stone possessed healing properties, and it remains a significant landmark within the Harbottle Crags nature reserve.
- •The hill overlooks Harbottle Castle, a 12th-century stronghold where Margaret Tudor, sister of Henry VIII and Queen of Scots, sought refuge in 1515 and gave birth to Lady Margaret Douglas.
- •From the summit, the view stretches across the River Coquet to the higher granite domes of The Cheviot and Hedgehope Hill, while the jagged silhouette of the Simonside Hills is visible to the south.
- •At 996 feet, the summit falls agonizingly short of the 1,000ft mark, though the steep, heathery ascent from the village ensures it feels like a much more significant undertaking.