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The Bell Hillfort

📷 Richard Webb · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsHeritage

Dogs welcome

Getting here

55.55295, -2.15711

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

Best for

5 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Blackbird +86 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Blackbird +86 more · last seen 2026

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Acid grassland — heathland butterflies and rare invertebrates; Insects — Cercopis vulnerata, 7-spot Ladybird, Common Darter +10 more · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Good match

Plants — Ground-ivy, Common Dog-violet, Small-fruited Prickly-sedge +3 more · last seen 2025; Plants — Ground-ivy, Common Dog-violet, Small-fruited Prickly-sedge +3 more · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

3 signed routes nearby · 2 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

Pennine Way (Middleton in Teesdale to Kirk Yetholm)Walking route

Named routeNational walking route

Pennine Way (Tan Hill to Kirk Yetholm) - deviationWalking route

to keep main route contiguous for route analysis

Named routeLocal walking route

Saint Cuthbert's Way (Kirk Yetholm to Lindisfarne)Walking route

Named routeRegional walking route

Wildlife to spot

3,037 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

3,037 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds91 species

winterspringsummerautumn

2026

Woodpigeon · Chaffinch · Blackbird · Buzzard · Robin +86

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
BuzzardButeo buteo2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Great TitParus major2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
DipperCinclus cinclus2025
WhitethroatCurruca communis2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
TealAnas crecca2024
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2024
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2024
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2024
LinnetLinaria cannabina2024
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2024
RavenCorvus corax2024
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2024
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2024
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Garden WarblerSylvia borin2025
CuckooCuculus canorus2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2024
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2024
Tree SparrowPasser montanus2024
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2025
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2025
MagpiePica pica2024
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2024
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus2024
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
Stock DoveColumba oenas2024
RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus2023
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Red Grouse (scotica)Lagopus scotica2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2024
GoosanderMergus merganser2024
BramblingFringilla montifringilla2024
GreenfinchChloris chloris2023
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2023
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2022
SnipeGallinago gallinago2022
Grey PartridgePerdix perdix2025
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis2025
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2024
GadwallMareca strepera2024
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2024
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2024
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
Tree PipitAnthus trivialis2023
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2022
CootFulica atra2021

🦌

Mammals7 species

winterspringsummerautumn

2025

Feral Goat · Roe Deer · Brown Hare · Mole · Rabbit +2

Feral GoatCapra hircus
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus
Brown HareLepus europaeus
MoleTalpa europaea
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2024

🦎

Reptiles3 species

summer

2025

Adder · Slow-worm · Common Lizard

AdderVipera berus
Slow-wormAnguis fragilis
Common LizardZootoca vivipara2024

🐸

Amphibians2 species

spring

2025

Common Toad · Common Frog

Common ToadBufo bufo
Common FrogRana temporaria2023

🐝

Insects13 species

springsummerautumn

2025

Cercopis vulnerata · 7-spot Ladybird · Common Darter · Orchid Beetle · Cantharis livida +8

Cercopis vulnerataCercopis vulnerata
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum
Orchid BeetleDascillus cervinus
Cantharis lividaCantharis livida
Philopotamus montanus

🌿

Plants10 species

springautumn

2025

Ground-ivy · Common Dog-violet · Small-fruited Prickly-sedge · Lesser Sea-spurrey · Myosotis discolor subsp. dubia +5

Ground-ivyGlechoma hederacea
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Small-fruited Prickly-sedgeCarex muricata subsp. pairae2023
Lesser Sea-spurreySpergularia marina2023
Myosotis discolor subsp. dubiaMyosotis discolor subsp. dubia2023

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

3,037 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds91 species

winterspringsummerautumn

2026

Woodpigeon · Chaffinch · Blackbird · Buzzard · Robin +86

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
BuzzardButeo buteo2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Great TitParus major2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
DipperCinclus cinclus2025
WhitethroatCurruca communis2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
TealAnas crecca2024
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2024
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2024
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2024
LinnetLinaria cannabina2024
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2024
RavenCorvus corax2024
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2024
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2024
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Garden WarblerSylvia borin2025
CuckooCuculus canorus2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2024
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2024
Tree SparrowPasser montanus2024
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2025
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2025
MagpiePica pica2024
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2024
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus2024
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
Stock DoveColumba oenas2024
RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus2023
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Red Grouse (scotica)Lagopus scotica2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2024
GoosanderMergus merganser2024
BramblingFringilla montifringilla2024
GreenfinchChloris chloris2023
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2023
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2022
SnipeGallinago gallinago2022
Grey PartridgePerdix perdix2025
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis2025
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2024
GadwallMareca strepera2024
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2024
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2024
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
Tree PipitAnthus trivialis2023
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2022
CootFulica atra2021

🦌

Mammals7 species

winterspringsummerautumn

2025

Feral Goat · Roe Deer · Brown Hare · Mole · Rabbit +2

Feral GoatCapra hircus
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus
Brown HareLepus europaeus
MoleTalpa europaea
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2024

🦎

Reptiles3 species

summer

2025

Adder · Slow-worm · Common Lizard

AdderVipera berus
Slow-wormAnguis fragilis
Common LizardZootoca vivipara2024

🐸

Amphibians2 species

spring

2025

Common Toad · Common Frog

Common ToadBufo bufo
Common FrogRana temporaria2023

🐝

Insects13 species

springsummerautumn

2025

Cercopis vulnerata · 7-spot Ladybird · Common Darter · Orchid Beetle · Cantharis livida +8

Cercopis vulnerataCercopis vulnerata
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum
Orchid BeetleDascillus cervinus
Cantharis lividaCantharis livida
Philopotamus montanus

🌿

Plants10 species

springautumn

2025

Ground-ivy · Common Dog-violet · Small-fruited Prickly-sedge · Lesser Sea-spurrey · Myosotis discolor subsp. dubia +5

Ground-ivyGlechoma hederacea
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Small-fruited Prickly-sedgeCarex muricata subsp. pairae2023
Lesser Sea-spurreySpergularia marina2023
Myosotis discolor subsp. dubiaMyosotis discolor subsp. dubia2023

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Richard Webb · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

The Bell

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦Hethpool stone circlesHistoric site1.3 km→✦Three Roman period native settlements and later droveway 750m south west of TorleehouseHistoric site700 m→⛪St Gregory's ChurchReligious grounds1.8 km→✦Roman period native enclosed settlement 480m north of Sutherland BridgeHistoric site3.6 km→✦Roman period native enclosed settlement 460m north of Sutherland BridgeHistoric site3.7 km→✦Southernknowe Roman period native enclosed settlement and clearance cairns, 280m north of Sutherland BridgeHistoric site3.8 km→

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