- Play Hard
- 30th Apr 2026
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- 0 minute
HLN Hikes: The Thrunton Woods walk that rewards you with Cheviot views and a pint
Duration: 5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate – Challenging
Parking: Thrunton Woods Car Park (free)
Dog-friendly: Yes
If you’re after a walk that earns its views, look no further than Castle Hill at Thrunton Wood. This cracking five-miler in the heart of Northumberland is one of those routes that rewards every step of the climb, and heads up, there’s a bit of a climb involved.
A HIDDEN GEM IN NORTHUMBERLAND’S BACKYARD
Tucked away off the B6341 between Rothbury and Alnwick, Thrunton Woods is the kind of place that locals keep quietly to themselves. Managed by Forestry England, it’s a working forest – pine trees are harvested here, so the landscape is always evolving – but that only adds to its rugged, ever-changing character. Covering around 250 hectares, the woods feel vast, atmospheric and genuinely wild in places. Those who know it, rave about it. Now you know it too.
Getting there is straightforward. Drive the B6341 and follow the signs to the free car park at the north-eastern edge of the woods. There are no facilities on site; it’s refreshingly basic, but Thrunton Tea Rooms are just a five-minute drive away. Worth bookmarking for later.
THE WALK: CASTLE HILL (5 MILES)
Starting from the main car park, the Castle Hill route is the big one – and it doesn’t pretend otherwise. This is a demanding walk with a long, lung-testing ascent, but the payoff at the top is genuinely spectacular. Push through the climb and you’ll find yourself standing on Thrunton Crags with sweeping, uninterrupted views across to the Cheviots – the kind of panorama that makes you feel like you’ve properly earned your afternoon tea.
The route winds through tall, atmospheric pines before breaking out onto open moorland as you gain height. The contrast between the enclosed woodland and the wide-open skies above the crags is one of the great pleasures of this walk. On a clear day, the Cheviots stretch out before you in all their drama – wild, rolling and utterly Northumberland.
One thing to note: unlike the shorter Crag Top Walk (a gentler one-mile loop also starting from the car park, and a brilliant option if you want those famous views without the full commitment), the longer paths within the wood are not waymarked. It’s strongly recommended you bring an OS Landranger or Explorer map and know how to use it. This isn’t the place to rely on your phone signal.
GOOD TO KNOW
Mountain bikers and horse riders are also welcome at Thrunton, making it one of those rare spots that genuinely has something for everyone. Families, solo hikers, trail runners, cyclists – they all find their own version of the place. Whether you’re after a challenging hill walk or just a quiet wander through the pines with a flask of coffee, Thrunton delivers.
The woods have a way of making you feel removed from everything – properly removed. The kind of reset that’s hard to find and easy to crave once you’ve had a taste of it. It’s the sort of place you’ll be planning your return trip before you’ve even got back to the car park.
BEFORE YOU GO / PIT STOP
On the drive home, make sure you stop in at the Shoulder of Mutton pub in Longhorsley. Delicious pub grub, a well-deserved pint and the perfect end to a day well spent in the Northumberland outdoors. You’ll have earned it.
Rachael Ellis
Head of Content
After gaining a first in her BA Media and Journalism degree at Northumbria University, Rachael worked at Newcastle’s leading regional newspaper with her stories being picked up in national and global newspapers. She spent two very successful years giving a voice to those communities across the North East who otherwise…
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