Ros Castle [Ros Hill]

About Ros Castle [Ros Hill]

A breezy, heather-clad Marilyn crowning the Chillingham Hills, this summit offers an exceptional reward for minimal effort. Occupying an ancient Iron Age hillfort, it provides clear-day views stretching from the Cheviot massif to the Farne Islands and Bamburgh Castle, while overlooking the famous wild cattle of Chillingham in the valley below.

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Did You Know?

• •The name 'Ros' is thought to derive from the Brythonic or Old Celtic word for a promontory or moorland hill, a term still found in Welsh as 'rhos'.
• •The summit is enclosed by a 3,000-year-old Iron Age hillfort, which gives the hill its 'Castle' moniker. The earthworks cover roughly three acres and are designated as a scheduled monument.
• •On a clear day, the summit provides a vantage point for 'seven castles'. While the exact list can be debated by locals, it usually includes Bamburgh, Dunstanburgh, Lindisfarne, Chillingham, and the distant Alnwick Castle.
• •A portion of the hill is owned by the National Trust, acquired through public subscription as a memorial to the statesman Sir Edward Grey. A plaque on the triangulation pillar commemorates Grey, who was a regular visitor to the summit.
• •Access to the western slopes is strictly limited by the enclosure of the Chillingham Wild Cattle. This rare, ancient breed has remained genetically isolated for centuries, and their presence means walkers must generally stick to the moorland approach from the south.
• •While its status as a Marilyn suggests a significant climb, the proximity of the Hepburn Moor road means you can bag this 150-metre prominence with a walk that lasts barely twenty minutes.