📌 Hethpool, Northumberland
★★★
The little-visited, far northern hills of Northumberland National Park are broken in two by the quiet, remote College Valley, through which the College Burn flows on its way out of the park. Hethpool is the only, tiny settlement; it also lends its name to a short but intensely beautiful series of waterfalls and rapids a short stroll east of the village. Wild goats roam the surrounding countryside; as well as spotting a couple of these, we spent a while watching a lizard bathe in dappled sunlight above the gorge – not a bad return for two mile’s walking. Morning light shows the falls at their best, when the sun’s rays shine directly up the gorge. For variety, return along the slightly boggy St Cuthbert’s Way, with good views west towards the Scottish border, 3 miles distant.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Minor road at Hethpool 
Path through fields towards Hethpool Linn 
Crossing the outflow from Hethpool Lake 
Lizard 
Hethpool Linn from the north bank 
View upstream from the footbridge 
Hethpool Linn from the south bank 
College Burn below Hethpool Linn 
College Burn below Hethpool Linn 
Climbing away from the burn 
Wild goat 
Return by the St Cuthbert’s Way 
Crossing the College Burn for a second time near the finish
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at public minor road end immediately south of Hethpool
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 894280
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.545774,-2.169716
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 3 km / 2 mi | ▲ 40 m | ⌛ 45 min
Features: 🌊 Hethpool Linn ★★★
⬤ Easy | Intermittent footpath with waymarkers to waterfall; clearer but with some bog for return route.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – leave minor road at 🧭 NT 895283 – public footpath along north bank of College Burn – Hethpool Linn (explore both sides of gorge) – cross footbridge – join St Cuthbert’s Way to southeast – return to start by St Cuthbert’s Way
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Wild goats in the woods just beyond the falls; sunbathing lizard near the footbridge over the falls. Sheep and lambs, horses, lots of pheasants, dancing butterflies.
Weather: Morning fog lifted just in time for a sunny walk; about 8°C.
April 2019
Also on this walk
Hethpool Linn ★★★
🌍 Location
📌 On College Burn 0.5 mi east of Hethpool
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 902285
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.550090,-2.156155
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 See info for walk route above
📝 Key info
⌚ Always open
🎫 Free
💬 If not doing the whole walk, easiest access to waterfalls is a 15-min walk (each way) by the outward route described above (⬤ Easy).
Great photos. It's one of our favourite places, although unfortunately we have yet to see any goats. A walk or cycle down the road following the burn to the war memorial is also rather nice.
Thanks for your comment! We hope to get back to Hethpool for a longer wander sometime soon.