Northumberland
Nettlehope Hill
488M
1601FT
About Nettlehope Hill
Tucked away in the quiet southern Cheviots, this heather-clad Tump offers a tranquil escape from the busier Pennine Way. Overlooking the winding Usway Burn, its rounded 488m summit provides a clear perspective of the sprawling moorland between Bloodybush Edge and Cushat Law, embodying the desolate beauty of the Northumberland National Park.
Key Statistics
Rank
46th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Cheviots
Prominence
?
39
Nearest Town
Northumberland
Geology
You are walking over the Cheviot Volcanic Formation, where the hill is built from volcanic rocks known as andesite.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NT891112
Latitude
55.3946°N
Longitude
2.1736°W
Did You Know?
- •The name derives from the Old English 'netele' and the Northumbrian term 'hope', meaning a small, secluded valley. It likely refers to the nearby hollow where nitrogen-rich soil, common around old sheep pens, once encouraged thick nettle growth.
- •Hikers usually encounter this hill while navigating the remote tracks from Alwinton. It serves as a quiet shoulder to the higher Bloodybush Edge, offering a less-trodden alternative to the main border ridges.
- •The summit provides an excellent vantage point for surveying the southern Cheviots; to the south, the distinctive, jagged skyline of the Simonside Hills is clearly visible across the Coquet Valley.
- •Despite the name, you are far more likely to be bothered by the 'Cheviot Moss'—the local euphemism for the saturated peat bogs that can swallow a trekking pole if you aren't paying attention.