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Yeavering Bell

Although Hadrian’s Wall is the best known of the Park’s historical treasures, there are other sites that hint at the shape of an older, pre-Roman society. In the northern half of the Park, on the summits of lonely Cheviot hills, are the remains of around fifty Iron Age hill forts.

Yeavering Bell is arguably the most impressive of the extant forts. A wall of stones still circles the summit of Yeavering, enclosing an area of 5.6 hectares. Although the wall is much diminished now, originally it would have stood some 2.5 metres in height. A person on watch in the fort would have had a commanding view of the surrounding countryside, south to the Cheviots and north to what is now the Scottish Borders.

In recognition of the historical significance of the Northumberland hill forts, a number of waymarked Hillfort Trails have recently been created, making it easier to visit these remarkably evocative structures.

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Other Iron Age hill forts in the Northumberland National Park include Brough Law in the Breamish Valley, Humbleton near Wooler and Great Hetha in the College Valley. Outside the park area, in south Northumberland, is Warden hill fort near Hexham.

For more information visit the Northumberland National Park website. or take a look at my Wild Northumberland gallery.