118 REPORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1904 



to spend the previous night at Hawick, or Bellingham, or 

 some other equally convenient point of connection, whence 

 they might roach Kieldor at ten o'clock in the morning. 

 The day proved very pleasant, though a dulness overspread 

 the landscape on account of a heat-haze which prevailed 

 throughout the day. At Riccarton Junction, where the North 

 British Railway branches on its way to Newcastle, the plan 

 of the day's excursion was made known, a choice of routes 

 being afforded the excurionists, either to leave the train at 

 Deadwater Station and occupy the early part of the day in 

 ascending Peel Fell, and examining the Kielder Stone, situated 

 at its Northern base, or to continue the railway journey to 

 Kielder Station and spend the available time in a ramble 

 among the woods of the Castle. 



A small party of venturesome spirits, including Mr George 

 P. Hughes, Mr Thomas Darling, Mr J. G. Good- 

 Peel Fell. child, Mr James A. Somervail, Mr R. H. Dodds, 

 Mr Wm. C. Steadman, Mr George Bolam, and 

 the Editing Secretary, adopted the former alternative, and 

 under the guidance of Mr Walter Hedley, Bewshaugh, shepherd 

 to the Duke of Northumberland, whose services had been 

 placed at the Club's disposal for the day, they essayed to 

 climb the steep sides of one of the most Western peaks 

 of Cheviot, included in the fine sheep-farm of Deadwater. 

 The hill, locally called Peel Fell, presents no great difficulty 

 to the average mountaineer, especially if the line adopted by 

 the guide is carefully followed ; but a frontal attack, indulged 

 in by three of the party in the hope of making botanical 

 and ornithological discoveries, demanded a considerable amount 

 of endurance, the grassy slopes, at a distance apparently so 

 gradual, being found on closer inspection to conceal many a 

 bog and boulder, whose negotiation added greatly to the 

 labour of the ascent. The hill to near its summit is richly 

 clothed with pasture, which there gives place to abounding 

 heather. It reaches a height of 1,975 feet, and commands a 

 fine prospect ; but, owing to the moist heat prevailing, no 

 idea of it could be obtained that day. The summit is honey- 

 combed with moss-hags, on the sides of which were noted 

 the Club-moss (Lycopodium Selayo), and the Cloudberry (Ruhus 

 chamaemorus) locally known as "Noop," "starring the elastic 



