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At the roundabout in Cornhill drive south on the A697 (sign-posted Morpeth) for about 1.5 miles . Turn right at the brown tourist sign for Flodden Field.
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In Branxton village, turn sharp right to the car park at Flodden battlefield. The battle took place in September 1513 and resulted in a terrible defeat for the Scots and the death of their king, James IV. Follow the self-guided trail of interpretive panels around the site that tell the story of the battle.
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After visiting Flodden, return to Branxton and continue through the village towards the A697.
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At the A697, turn right (sign-posted Wooler) and drive to Milfield. At the far end of the village look for the brown tourist sign to Maelmin Heritage Trail, to the left. The Trail comprises a series of information panels and reconstructions of ancient buildings, illustrating the early history of the Glendale area. The structures include a prehistoric wooden henge, Iron Age hut and Anglo-Saxon hall. The site is accessible at any time and there is an adjacent car park.
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Rejoin the A697, turn left and drive south for about 3 miles as far as Akeld.
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Turn right onto the B6251 (signed-posted Kirknewton).
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The road passes under the shadow of Humbleton Hill (also known as Homildon Hill), where a battle took place in 1402 between a Scots army led by Earl Douglas and an English force under Harry Hotspur, son of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. Hotspur was victorious and Douglas was taken prisoner. An argument over ransom for Douglas led to Hotspur and his father rebelling against King Henry IV.
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About 3 miles along the B6251 you will see a memorial stone and information panel on the right of the road. The wooden gate beside it is decorated with a carved goat’s head. This is the site of the 7th century Northumbrian royal palace of Ad Gefrin (the “hill of the goats”). Yeavering Bell rises to the left of the road and is topped with the largest hill-fort in northern England .
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Continue for a bout half a mile to Kirknewton village where the church of St. Gregory the Great is well worth a visit. The churchyard contains the graves of British and Commonwealth air crew who lost their lives while serving at nearby RAF Milfield during World War II. An early medieval sculpture inside the church depicts the Adoration of the Magi. It is helpful that the toilets in Kirknewton Village Hall are open to the public during daylight hours throughout the year.
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Continue north from Kirknewton past Kilham, then follow signs to Mindrum and Kirk Yetholm.
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In Kirk Yetholm, look out for the Gypsy Stone beside the village green. There is a story that Kirk Yetholm’s gypsy associations date back to the Siege of Namur in 1695 when a gypsy called Young saved the life of a British officer who owned land at Yetholm. In gratitude the officer had cottages built in the village to be leased to the gypsies. The last gypsy king, Charles Faa Blyth, was crowned in Yetholm in 1898. The Gypsy Palace still stands in a street to the left of the main road. It is now a holiday cottage!
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Cross over the Bowmont Water into Town Yetholm, then follow the B6352 (sign-posted Kelso).
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Join the A698 and head towards Kelso. Turn right onto the B6350 (sign-posted Cornhill). The road passes through Sprouston, then crosses the Redden Burn into England.
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The next village is Carham, where in 1018 a battle was fought between the Scots and the Northumbrians which resulted in the Tweed being established as the border with Scotland.
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About three miles beyond Carham is Wark. The high ridge behind the houses to the left is topped by the scanty remains of the once-mighty Wark Castle , besieged 11 times by the Scots.
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From Wark continue ahead to Cornhill and return to the Collingwood Arms Hotel.
