The Bell

About The Bell

A modest hummock overlooking Wooler, The Bell offers a grandstand view of the Glendale valley without the oxygen-starved drama of the higher Cheviots. It’s the perfect 'peak' for hikers who prioritize being back in the pub before their tea—or their interest—actually cools down.

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Did You Know?

• •Standing as a sentinel over the Glendale valley, The Bell overlooks the site of the 1402 Battle of Homildon Hill where English longbowmen famously secured victory. It is a historic vantage point that offers a peaceful view of a landscape once defined by brutal Border Reiver skirmishes.
• •The hill is composed of 400-million-year-old andesite lava, a legacy of the volcanic activity that shaped the surrounding Cheviot Hills. This ancient rock is incredibly hardy, which is fortunate considering the amount of damp Northumberland weather it has to endure on a weekly basis.
• •It lies just off the St Cuthbert’s Way, the long-distance trail connecting Melrose Abbey to Lindisfarne, making it a popular detour for walkers with energy to spare. It’s the perfect spot to stop and contemplate your life choices before the trail gets significantly more uphill towards the border.
• •Archaeologically, the hill is a neighbor to the royal Anglo-Saxon site of Ad Gefrin and the Iron Age stronghold of Yeavering Bell. While it lacks its neighbor's massive stone ramparts, it likely provided a vital secondary lookout for the Votadini tribes guarding the approach to their hilltop capital.
• •At exactly 247 meters, it’s just tall enough to warrant wearing your heavy-duty mountain boots, but low enough that you’ll feel like a fraud when a local trail runner overtakes you while wearing nothing but a vest and a look of deep concern for your pace.