Yeavering - Access to the Hill
From Wooler take the A697 north towards Coldstream. About four miles out the main road swings north at Akeld and here, there are four flagpoles to prompt you, you will see a turnoff to the left signposted Kirknewton. This is the B6351 as marked on the diagram below. Continue along this road until you see the Gefrin monument in a lay-by on the northern side of the road. There is room here to park two or three cars. This is point A on my diagram. If there is no room in the lay-by it possible to park at point B where, on a sharp bend in the road, the access road to the cottages at Yeavering starts. Please park carefully here. There is room on the grass verge but you must leave plenty of room as farm machinery requires access here too.
The climb up Yeavering is fairly strenuous and you will need good boots and appropriate clothing. It is colder on the hilltop which is very exposed and almost always windy.
On Foot
Walking boots on and head up the track from point B. You will pass the row of cottages at Old Yeavering and go through a gate. The old stone building before you was once thought to have been Edwin’s palace and has become known as the ‘Old Palace’.
There is a signpost next to the Old Palace indicating a footpath to Yeavering Bell. It is possible to take this much shorter route up to the hillfort though this path is very steep. I have used this path as a way down from the hill.
Follow the farm track as it steadily climbs uphill. Yeavering Bell is on your left and you can clearly see the rubble and scree higher up the hill. Look out for wild goats here too.
Eventually, you will pass a stand of trees on your left. The path then passes a prominent boulder on the right and crosses a cattle grid. Here a footpath heads off to the left at point C.
Follow this path uphill. This path is a part of St. Cuthbert’s Way which stretches between Melrose, the location of St Cuthbert’s early monastic life, to Lindisfarne in a meandering though well-signposted route.
The path meets a wall with a stile at point D. The path is still obvious and easy to follow and continues to climb. Eventually, you arrive at point E.
There is a low crossroad sign here and you will need to take the left path towards Yeavering Bell. The right hand path would take you to the summit of Easter Tor which is another climb well worth the effort. The views from Easter Tor are magnificent.
The path ahead would take you past Commonburn House and eventually to Humbleton Hill and Wooler.
A short though welcome downhill section takes you across a little stream and then heads back uphill. You are heading towards point F which concludes with you finally entering the hillfort through the wide southern entrance.
Leave the hillfort through the northern entrance at point G. The path heads slightly to the west and has regular marker posts as id descends. There is a rocky turn in the path at point H to watch out for. The path begins quite steeply but slowly becomes less steep.
The path emerges at a stile next to the old Palace where you simply re-tread your earlier path back to your car.
