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Grid Reference: NT 961 125
3 words:
The best wind direction at Hogden Law is a North Easterly, although it will work from NNE to ENE
Height AMSL; 548m Height, top to bottom; 200m
From the south take the A697 towards Wooler, continue through Longhorsley, Longframlington and pass the Rothbury turn off. Just after the hamlet of Thrunton, take a left turn towards Whittingham at a cross roads with a large square house on the right. Continue to Whittingham and take the second left in the village over the hump back bridge over the River Aln, follow the road to the left at a fork and onwards to Eslington Highhill, 2km further take the right to Little Ryle, after 500m take the left signpost Alnham. Continue to Alnham, where you take the right hand fork in the road. Here the road passes the old church and quickly turns into a single track mountain road. Please drive considerately on this road and beware that the livestock here roam freely without fences or boundaries to the road. Follow the road for nearly 5km, rising initially then dropping steeply before starting a long ascent. As the road begins to descend slowly, continue to the cattle grid, here you can see down to Ewartly Shanks, a farm in a copse of trees at the end of the road.
Walk up the well-defined track up the fell side. Once through the gate, you can choose to head off to the right / north at any time you feel you are high enough to take off. It is easier to walk up the track then cross the fell side rather than taking a direct route up the face. There is rarely the need to walk all the way to the cairn at the top, in fact the top is fairly flat. The grass is quite deep and uneven, so care should be taken when ground handling.
Care is required when slope landing due to the uneven nature of the fell side and deep grass. The bottom landing is beside the cars or anywhere in that area. It is a large area with no hazards other than the fence and gate you have passed through on the way up the fell side.
This is a very high site, when considering a visit please be aware that the wind may well be stronger on the hill than forecast. There is a nice ridge for ridge soaring which often improves later in the day. Hogden is quite a distance inland so is not effected by the sea breeze until later in the afternoon, if at all. Mid to late afternoon often gives some very nice thermal flying allowing the whole area to be explored. The hills are very rounded and there are several B plan options. The potential for cross country is limited as the Otterburn ranges are 6km over the back. Permission can be granted to fly through the range but the restrictions with that permission are quite prohibitive and following that there is Kielder Forest and Spaedadam. Working a route around the ranges may be possible on the right day.
When flying to the bottom landing be aware of the low fence and gate that you have passed on the way up the fell side. Over the back of the hill is Kidland forest, very few good landing options until Alwinton, 6km away. Otterburn Ranges.
See flights from Hogden Law