The village lies close to the A689 road north of Alston, Cumbria.

On 1 April 1955 the parish was abolished to form Knaresdale with Kirkhaugh.

[2] Although the Standard Gauge Alston Line from Haltwhistle to Alston passed through Kirkhaugh, there was no station here when normal British Rail passenger services operated.

Since 1983 a narrow-gauge railway has opened on part of the original trackbed.

The railway, known as the South Tynedale Railway, is a 2-foot (0.61 m) gauge line and runs 5 miles (8.0 km) from Alston to Slaggyford, through a station at Kirkhaugh, and includes a viaduct over the River South Tyne.