Yeavering Bell Hillfort

The walk up Yeavering Bell rewards you with one of those views that makes the climb worthwhile. This Iron Age hillfort sits 1,200 feet above the Northumberland plains near Wooler, and on a clear day you can see for miles. The earthworks are still visible - concentric circles of ditches and banks that once formed a substantial settlement. It's proper atmospheric standing up there, imagining the roundhouses that would have crowded this summit centuries ago.

Historians will find plenty to occupy them here. Yeavering Bell is one of the better-preserved examples of its kind, and the scale of the defensive works suggests this was no small community. But this isn't a place you'll read plaques and learn facts - there's nothing there but the land itself and the archaeology beneath your feet. You'll need imagination and a good guide book, or you'll be wandering around wondering what you're looking at.

The walk takes about ninety minutes there and back, depending on your pace and how long you linger on top. It's a genuine hillwalk, not a gentle stroll - the path can be muddy and steep in places. Go in dry weather unless you're properly equipped. Spring and early autumn are best, when the light's good and you won't be fighting crowds of midges.

If you're staying at Highburn House or Riverside Wooler Holiday Parks, this makes an excellent half-day outing. The hikes in this corner of Northumberland are exceptional, and Yeavering Bell fits perfectly into a walking-focused holiday.