The River Coquet, Northumberland`s finest river, rises on the upper slopes of Brownhart Law little more than the toss of a spear from the Roman military complex of Chew Green. The Pennine Way follows the high ground, where the international border fence acts as a welcome guide to those hardy, long distance walkers who step out across these remote and empty hills. As you wander the wide, open spaces, far from the epicentre of the Roman Empire, you will surely feel the tingling sensation of history running up and down your spine. You will enjoy faraway views across an ocean of little known hills. This is border country par excellence.

2. Return to the track and continue in the same general direction and after losing a little height, ignore the track turning off to the left. Keep following the directional fingerposts and when, after a short while, the `Public Bridleway` bends away to the right (GR NT796098) head straight on, rising gently uphill towards the border fence. Once you reach a three fingered signpost, take the faint track, diagonally to your left, which heads uphill alongside the fence in a south westerly direction, to the summit of Brownhart Law (GR NT787093). This hill is slap bang on the `Border Line` and, standing at a height of 508 metres, offers superb views. To the south lies the Roman military complex of Chew Green consisting of a fort, two fortlets and two camps all served by Dere Street. Constructed during the first century AD by Julius Agricola, the first Roman Governor of Britain, this road stretched from York in the south to the Firth of Forth in the north and, more locally, connected High Rochester with Melrose. As the military complex at Chew Green did not enjoy clear views to the north, a signal station was built near to the summit of Brownhart Law, an ancient and low tech example of an `early warning system`. To the north, the view into southern Scotland is extensive with Sir Walter Scott`s beloved Eildon Hills particularly prominent. Take time to cross the fence and to head over the summit for some 50 metres where you will find a small memorial stone, barely knee high, to one `Thomas Elliot Elliot 1909-1990`. Now retrace your steps to the three fingered signpost, continuing towards Dere Street which climbs uphill from the military complex and reaches the border fence to the north east of this spot. You are now heading northwards on the route of the Pennine Way, as it makes its way along the high ground towards a distant Kirk Yetholm. You are also following a less well known long distance walk, The Roman Heritage Way, which follows in the footsteps of the Roman centurians who marched across these hills some nineteen hundred years ago.

4. In his 1936 book `The Rambles of Vagabond`, Frederick A. Wills enthused “…..all around us lay deep and luscious valleys of pastures……rounded hills stretched away towards the Cheviot“ adding, “ascending the perfectly impregnable camp on the Law we focussed the glasses on Oxnam, Jedburgh, St. Boswell`s, the Eildons and Melrose”. More than 70 years on, see for yourself as you `potter` about this fascinating vantage point. Standing at a height of 422 metres, “the Law” is named after the god Woden, leader of the Wild Hunt and the Anglo-Saxon version of the Norse god Odin. It is strategically situated and was the location of an Iron Age hillfort. Eventually, the hillfort was used by the Romans for military siege practice, much like the Otterburn Ranges are now used by the MoD. Strange how history repeats itself! Retrace your steps to the small gate in the fence leading back onto Dere Street, turn to your right and begin your journey back up uphill towards the border fence. On reaching the metal five bar gate, encountered earlier on your journey and on this side bearing a notice `Dere Street Chew Green This Way`, do not go through. Instead, take the track on your left which climbs uphill, initially close to the fence, and eventually you will reach another five bar gate with a small rocky outcrop straight ahead. Pass by the rocky outcrop, known as Greyhen Rock (GR NT781119), and in less than 100 metres follow the quad track which heads to your right to the 481 metre high summit of Blackhall Hill close to a post and wire fence. This is your sixth and penultimate top of the day. Now turn left and stay with the fence until you reach the next five bar gate. Pass through. Now with the fence firmly to your left head straight on over rough ground with only the hint of a path to ease the way. As you ramble along keep a keen eye out for a particularly boggy patch which can catch you unawares. Eventually, you will rejoin your outward route and now it is a simple matter of following the clear track of Dere Street to the gate just short of the 463 metre high summit of Black Halls. Pass through, turn left and, once again on English soil, your journey for the next 2¼ miles follows, step for step, the route of the Pennine Way.

6. You are now heading across the gentle western slopes of Yearning Law and when you begin to draw parallel with the summit the track, which now leaves the course of the `Public Bridleway`,  bends to your left heading towards the 477 metre high rocky and prominent top (GR NT817118). From here there are extensive views across the great sweep of grasslands stretching back towards the high border ridge. Leave the summit and rejoin the track you arrived on. Turn left and stay with this track as it contours the south eastern spur of Yearning Law giving you tremendous views down to the valley of the Blind Burn. In time, you will merge once again with the `Public Bridleway` which now makes an easy descent towards Coquetdale and the farm of Blindburn (GR NT829108). The area around Blindburn is littered with the `footprints` of those who passed this way before us and who lived their lives on the edge of existence in this remote part of Northumberland. To the west of the present farm, along your return route to Buckham`s Walls Burn, lie the remains of a cairn known as `Devil`s Mothers Grave`. This was excavated in 1970 but revealed no evidence of any burials. A second cairn, which was dug away in 1826 to build a farm house and other buildings, was found to contain burnt bones and ashes inside a broken decorated pot. The cairn undoubtedly marked the position of a Bronze Age burial site. Further up the Blind Burn is the site of a former illegal whisky still, consisting of the remains of a rectangular building and a corn drying kiln. During the 18^th and 19^th centuries whisky was secretly distilled at a number of locations in the Cheviot Hills and there was a brisk trade in this fiery liquid in the Upper Coquetdale area. The immediate area also contains traces of a medieval or post-medieval period settlement. As you approach the valley a rough track will lead you down past the farm buildings and back onto the narrow, single track road. Turn to your right and follow the road for the short distance to Buckham`s Walls Bridge and the end of your short trip to the wild and windswept northern edge of the Roman Empire.