Hownam Law and Housedon Hill

31 August 2013

Participants: Just me
Where: Hownam Law, 449m/1,472', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 74, NT 796219 and Housedon Hill, 267m/877', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 74, NT 902329

Well, it looks as though that's summer over. Now for some golden autumn days....hopefully! Today, there was a good forecast for the east of the country so that's where I headed. East and south, to a couple of hills on the fringes of the Cheviots. I decided on Hownam Law first, driving through Kelso and down the valley of the Bowmont Water to reach the east side of the hill. I parked in a big off-road area opposite a finger post pointing the way to Elisheugh, roughly at 219815. A track went up the hill from here and continued to roughly the 250m contour, passing through several fields on the way. This is farming country and the fences were electrified, fortunately, walkers appear to be welcome and there were gates without locks. This is a view of the hill from near the start.....

 

 

A well built wall ran across the hill higher up but there were gates in this also. I paused here and took this picture looking back across the valley to the main Cheviot hills.....

Hownam Law is the site of a megalithic fort and it is easy to see why- it commands the surrounding countryside. It reminded me a bit of Tap o'Noth in Aberdeenshire although it doesn't have the same depth of ditches as the latter. This is a view of the Cheviot.....

and of the trig and the Cheviot.....

and of the Bowmont water valley looking north.....

It took me a couple of hours car to car, I was in no hurry. Then it was a short drive to the next one, passport out on the way as I crossed into England shortly after passing through the village of Yetholm. Housedon Hill is the most northerly English Marilyn. I left the car at the farm at Reedsford to the west of the hill where there was lots of parking. This is the hill from the car park.....

Although less than 1,000' high, this was a much steeper hill than Hownam Law. Again, it was situated in really nice country and I got a slightly different aspect of the Cheviot from its slopes.....

In the time that it had taken me to drive between the two hills, the wind had strengthened considerably and even at this low height, I had a problem holding the camera steady. I couldn't immediately see where the highest point was and this shows why.....

It is probably the most insignificant cairns of any of the Marilyns that I have come across so far- three small stones in the grass, not really visible in the picture beside my walking poles. The cows must have appreciated it, however; there were cow pats all around it!

This is a general view of the summit area.....

I had a wander around to see if there was a higher point as my map showed that there was one about a couple of hundred yards further on and just inside the forest. But when I got there it clearly wasn't any higher.

So although it had been a bit of a drive to get there, it was another good day. It is nice countryside around the Cheviot which deserves greater exploration sometime.