Humbleton Hill (NT967283) is often the first hill
a visitor to the Wooler area decides to climb. There is an obvious
path visible up the Eastern side (although this is not the best route up) and a clamber to the top is well
worth the effort, rewarded by the scenery and a very impressive Hillfort.
Humbleton Hill itself reaches
a height of 289m. It does not merge with any other nearby hill and
stands alone. The climb from any point at it’s base
on the Milfield plain is one of over 230m and the sides are steep.
Notably the hill is separated from the rolling Cheviot moors on the
south side by a deep and dramatic ‘V’ shaped cleugh, or
cleft, formed by glacial melt water and virtually unclimable. The name, Humbleton, has had many variations in spelling over
the years but is derived from the old English ‘Hameldun’ which
simply means ‘cleft hill’.
Essential to a defensive location, the views from the top of the hill do not disappoint. There are extensive and dramatic views over the Cheviot hills to the South. To the North there is a wide view over the Milfield plain up into Scotland and the Lammamuir hills. On the Eastern side there are good views out to the Northumberland coast.
To the West (see photograph at the top of this page) the hill overlooks the Cheviot foothills and the double peaked bulk of Yeavering Bell looms up impressively over the gash of Monday Cleugh, anorther melt water cleft.
Humbleton Hill was formed in the Devonian period, some 350 million
years ago in the violent volcanic eruptions which created the entire
Cheviot range. Andesite, the igneous bedrock of these Hills, appears
as craggy outcrops on the upper slopes of Humbleton and has been incorporated
into the defences on the hill and quarried for use in constructing
the walls and dwellings.
As well as this there is an abundance of loose or ‘scree’ material, as in the cleugh, available for building.
These factors single out Humbleton hill as a prime site for a strategic defensive construction.