Walking

Walking

Ford and Etal Estates boasts some of the most beautiful and accessible countryside in Northumberland and the area can be explored following quiet lanes, footpaths and bridleways – all well waymarked. Please follow the Countryside Code.

A range of walks around Ford & Etal Estates can either be downloaded, or picked up from the Visitor Centre at Heatherslaw and other venues around the Estates. Children might enjoy following a geocaching trail, further details below.

Storm Arwen caused considerable damage on Ford & Etal Estates. The Forestry  department is still working hard to resolve all problems. Please take care when walking on footpaths on and around the Estates and look out for paths damaged by falling trees.

Local, guided walks for groups of up to eight walkers are also available, for more information please click here

Ford & Etal Waymarked Walks:

Heatherslaw to Hay Farm and Slainsfield

A moderate circular four-mile walk, with some hills, through fields and round quiet back roads that take you past Hay Farm and Cheviot Brewery, with magnificent views of the Cheviots and Eildon Hills.

Ford Village to Ford Moss Nature Reserve

A five-mile circular walk around Ford Moss Nature Reserve, now an SSSI, with the option to extend it for a further three miles, to take in stunning views over the Scottish Borders.

Heatherslaw to Ford

A four-mile walk to Ford village, alongside the River Till and across fields, and past Ford Castle, returning via Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre.

Heatherslaw to Etal Village

A short two-mile linear walk from Heatherslaw to Etal and back, following the Route 68 cycle path.

Etal Castle to Etal Moor

A moderate to strenuous seven-mile circular walk that takes you alongside the River Till, across fields and quiet lanes and onto Etal Moor.

Ford Village and Castle Dene

An easy one-mile loop walk, with sloping paths, that runs through a steep-sided wooded valley (dene). This is unsuitable for buggies and can be wet in places.

GEOCACHING

Go on an adventure with our Children’s Geocaching Trail and maybe find some treasure! Download the geocaching app here (for android phones), and here (for iphones), create a free account, then use the ‘map in the app’ to locate the live geocaches on Ford & Etal Estates. Geocaches are a worldwide treasure hunt, more details can be found here

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