1. Raby Castle
Meeting Point: Raby Castle
We begin the Big Smile in the magnificent grounds of Raby Castle. We follow a broad path through the grassy landscape where Red and Fallow Deer herds live wild. We pass the impressively maintained medieval castle, built between 1367 and 1390 by John Neville, the 3rd Baron Neville de Raby.
We wander through Ladywood and then up towards Raby Home Farm and then Shotton enjoying the beautiful countryside home to some superb flora and fauna.
Eventually, we leave the Raby estate and find ourselves heading over Cockfield fell, common land pock marked with evidence of human habitation including flint arrowheads dating back to 8000BC.
We skirt around Cockfield itself and back through the estate to finish back at Raby Castle in a wonderful start to the Big Smile Walks.
Distance: 20 km ( 12.47 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★★☆☆
Sponsored By: The Ramside Hall Hotel
1. Raby Castle
Meeting Point: Raby Castle
We begin the Big Smile in the magnificent grounds of Raby Castle. We follow a broad path through the grassy landscape where Red and Fallow Deer herds live wild. We pass the impressively maintained medieval castle, built between 1367 and 1390 by John Neville, the 3rd Baron Neville de Raby.
We wander through Ladywood and then up towards Raby Home Farm and then Shotton enjoying the beautiful countryside home to some superb flora and fauna.
Eventually, we leave the Raby estate and find ourselves heading over Cockfield fell, common land pock marked with evidence of human habitation including flint arrowheads dating back to 8000BC.
We skirt around Cockfield itself and back through the estate to finish back at Raby Castle in a wonderful start to the Big Smile Walks.
Distance: 20 km ( 12.47 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★★☆☆
Sponsored By: The Ramside Hall Hotel
33. The Simonside Hills
Date: 04/08/2021
Meeting Point: Haugh Car Park, Whitton Bank Road, Rothbury, NE65 7SH
This fantastic stage begins in the historic town of Rothbury, and then heads through the town, crossing the River Coquet. We continue through Witton and climb up towards Lordenshaws - an area of great archaeological interest - at the foot of the Simonside Hills.
We then ascend onto Dove Crag, and head west along the ridge to reach our high point at Simonside, where we are treated to some superb views of the Cheviots and surrounding valleys.
We descend through beautiful woodland towards Great Tosson, and cross the Coquet again at Thropton. From here, we loop back towards our start point in Rothbury.
This is a strikingly scenic stage, with a manageable fell walk in a wonderfully diverse landscape - surely one of Northumberland’s most beautiful walks.
Distance: 19.6 km (12.18 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★★☆☆