Northumberland
Sappers' Pike
342M
1122FT
About Sappers' Pike
Overlooking the Rede Valley near Ridsdale, this 342-metre Tump sits on the rugged fringes of the Otterburn Training Area. Its military name likely references the Royal Engineers. The summit offers a quiet perspective of the wild Northumberland moors and the historic remains of the 19th-century ironworks in the valley below.
Key Statistics
Rank
106th Highest in Region
Parent Range
England
Prominence
?
83
Nearest Town
Ridsdale
Geology
You are walking on layers of limestone and sandstone. Along with siltstone and mudstone, these rocks form the rugged foundation of Sappers' Pike.
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NY912836
Latitude
55.1467°N
Longitude
2.1396°W
Did You Know?
- •The name 'Sappers' refers to the Royal Engineers. Given the hill's proximity to the Otterburn Training Area, established in 1911, the name likely stems from military surveying or field engineering exercises conducted in the area.
- •The summit provides a clear view of the Ridsdale engine house, a prominent stone chimney that served the local ironworks and coal pits during the mid-1800s.
- •Looking west, the view extends toward the vast plantations of Kielder Forest and the distant high ground of the North Tyne Valley.
- •Despite the martial name, the primary residents of the pike today are the hardy Cheviot sheep that graze the surrounding moorland.
- •While it sounds like a place requiring a shovel and a defensive plan, the most technical skill required for an ascent is usually just navigating the occasional patch of Northumberland bog.