Kilham Hill

Overlooking the Bowmont Valley on the northern fringe of the Cheviots, this grassy Tump offers a straightforward ascent with a sense of immense history. The summit provides a clear lookout over the Scottish Border and the higher northern Cheviot peaks, including the nearby bulk of Newton Tors and the Harthope Valley hills.

• •The name likely derives from the Old English 'cylne' (kiln) and 'ham' (homestead), reflecting the hill's long association with the agricultural settlement tucked into its lower slopes.
• •This area was a flashpoint for Border Reiver activity; a documented Scottish raid in 1597 was so severe that it resulted in several deaths and required a formal report to the Privy Council of England.
• •The summit serves as an excellent vantage point for spotting the distinctive twin-peaked profile of Yeavering Bell to the east, which houses the most significant Iron Age hillfort in Northumberland.
• •Given its position on the northern edge of the Northumberland National Park, a walk here offers a quieter alternative to the busier paths surrounding the main Cheviot massif to the south.
• •The hill is frequently climbed as part of a circuit involving the nearby Coldsmouth Hill, which sits directly on the Anglo-Scottish border line to the southwest.