Harbottle Crags and the castle

Four and a half miles and 160 metres of climbing in a little over two hours, taking in the Drake Stone, Harbottle Lake, the open crags above and the earthworks of the Norman castle on the way back into the village. Start at the free West Wood car park at the west end of Harbottle, about 15 spaces, with the walk finishing along the Coquet edge of the village. Forest track for the first mile is safe off the lead and the Coquet at the end gives a swim, but the crags are a grazed nature reserve with ground-nesting birds where leads are asked for from March to July, the lake bog is dangerously deep, and the castle mound has sudden drops.