Killhope Law

Rising as a broad, peat-covered dome on the boundary between County Durham and Northumberland, this high North Pennine moorland offers a sense of immense isolation. Reaching the 673m summit requires navigating characteristic hags and moss, rewarding walkers with the desolate, expansive beauty typical of these wild eastern fells.

• •The name 'Killhope' likely stems from the Old English 'cylle', meaning a vessel or bag, and 'hop', a small enclosed valley, describing the landform below this prominent 'law' or rounded hill.
• •The summit serves as a significant boundary marker; it sits on the historic border between the Bishopric of Durham and the County of Northumberland.
• •Looking north across the Tyne Gap, the distinctive profiles of the Cheviot Hills are often visible on the horizon, while the western view is dominated by the high ridge of Cross Fell and the Great Dun Fell radome.
• •The southern slopes descend toward the site of the former Park Level Mine, reminding walkers that these quiet moors were once at the industrial heart of the North Pennine lead-mining industry.
• •The summit trig pillar serves the dual purpose of confirming your location and providing the only reliably dry place to sit within a half-mile radius of the peat-saturated top.