Hare Law

The walk up Hare Law from Wooler is straightforward enough, but the payoff is what matters. You're looking at roughly 500 metres of elevation gain across open moorland that rolls away toward the Cheviot Hills, and on a clear day the views stretch right across to the Scottish border. The summit itself is properly bare - wind-scoured grass, a trig point, nothing fancy - but that's rather the point.

This is a walker's hill, no question. It'll take most people two to three hours round trip from the car, depending on fitness and how many times you stop to catch your breath or simply admire the landscape. The route climbs steadily without being vicious, and the terrain underfoot is generally decent. Spring and early summer are best - you avoid the moorland getting waterlogged, and the light up there in June lasts until well past nine at night.

Families with capable kids aged ten and up will manage it fine, though younger ones might find the exposed moorland a bit relentless if the weather turns. There's no shelter up there whatsoever, so come prepared for wind and sudden cloud. The real pull here isn't a five-minute photo opportunity - it's the sense of space and the walking itself.

Neither Highburn House nor Riverside Wooler Holiday Park is more than a few minutes from town, so either makes a sensible base for tackling this and exploring the wider Cheviots. The hill sits right at the edge of proper hill country, making it an ideal first step if you're new to the area.