According to local folklore, hidden away in a deep chasm up in the Cheviot hills lives a group of Northumbrian fairies who play the sweetest music known to man, writes Mike Still. 

They run and dance through the valley, with all the grace that fairies do, but it is said these fairies have a sinister side too and once lured in a hunting party who remain trapped there to this day, according to ‘Rambles in Northumberland’ by Chatto (1835). 

Not quite the description given to the 14 walkers who set off for the Hen Hole but it does give an idea of the mysticism surrounding the place.

We met at Cocklawfoot ready for our walk and had a briefing. We were just on the point of leaving when we had our first rain of the day. We took a couple of extra minutes to put on the waterproofs and then set off. The first part was to go through the farm and head for the Cheviot Burn. This is normally an easy section of the walk which is occasionally a bit damp so we were totally unprepared for the six-foot-high bracken. The waterproofs were needed just to prevent us from getting soaked by the amount of water coming off the plants.

Safely through, we followed the track up the side of the Cheviot Burn, stopped for a quick removal of the waterproofs, and then started our climb up to the Pennine Way and the refuge hut. We hit the long distance trail to the west of the hut and descended towards the College Burn which has its source just below the summit of Cheviot.

This is the entry to the Hen Hole (or Hell Hole as it was called apparently many years ago) and then we started to climb. This is not so much a walk as a long scramble with routes that suddenly end at a land slip, several crossings and re-crossings of the burn and may places where the route is just wide enough to put a foot down.

Understandably, the progress was slow but it was also steady as we gradually went up alongside the waterfalls pausing every so often to look back and marvel at the fantastic views. We came to a place where the land flattened out and the valley got significantly wider, definitely a place for lunch as the real hard work was done.

Lunch over, we were left with the climb out of the valley. A simple task on the surface but the aim was to do it in such a way as to avoid the peat hags.

Rodger Adams was leading at this point and he brought us out in sight of Auchope Cairn and missing both the hags and deep valleys making life much easier. Once at the cairn, and after a brief discussion, we opted to stride out along the Pennine way towards Clennel Street. We could see the rain sweeping in so, once more, a change back into waterproofs and then set off along the newly paved section toward the junction with the spur up to Cheviot.

It always seems quite a long way from Auchope Cairn to Clennel Street but the damp weather spurred us on and we covered the ground quite quickly, aided by the good surface provided by the old mill flag stones.

Clennel Street reached, we stopped for a drinks break and then started to descend towards Cocklawfoot. This is always a pleasant part of the walk as the views are so good on the way down to the farm. The rain had abated somewhat and there was the odd patch of sunlight here and there to brighten up the hillsides.

The gentlemen of the “B” group had a pleasant walk taking in the Cheviot Burn and Auchope Rig with views to the Eildon Hills and the Pennine Way on Cheviot Ridge.

The next club walk will be on August 20, starting from Alwinton (NT 918 063).  Meet at Newtown St Boswells at 8.30am to share transport.  Further information from the club secretary, Evelyn Horsburgh, on 01750 76214