St. Oswald’s Way leaves the River Coquet and heads southwards over remote but appealing country. The route enters Northumberland National Park and passes the remains of an Iron Age hill fort and rock carvings at Lordenshaws. The heather-clad moors of the Simonside Hills are crossed before reaching Harwood Forest. The route then crosses farmland to reach the settlement of Knowesgate where there is one accommodation and then to the scenic small village of Kirkwhelpington.  If there are no accommodation options in Kirkwhelpington you can stay in the village of West Woodburn, approx. 3 miles further on from Rothbury.