Invasion of England via Larriston Fell

[cessna152towser]

The sign at Dinlabyre, in Liddesdale, says this a private road, and give no clue that you can get to England this way, yet this is an old reivers route across the border, over the top of Larriston Fell.

After walking among tall trees for some time, a cleared area rewards us with this view as we turn and look back into Liddesdale.

After an hour or so of climbing gradually upwards, we come to the cairn on the summit of Larriston Fell.

From the cairn we can see over into England, yonder trees are beyond the border.

Descending along the old road, still about half a mile to go to the English border.

Looking back, we see that this area of Scotland consists of heather clad peat bog, so it is important to stick to the road. The modern radio mast is adjacent to the cairn on the summit of Larriston Fells. This road is known as the Bloody Bush Road because........................................... ..

[cessna152towser]

...........every bridge built along this road near the border, whether of stone, metal, or wood, has been destroyed overnight within a decade, or has had to be demolished after being found covered entirely in mysterious blood.

The road needs to cross this small valley on its way to the English border. The need for a bridge is dispensed with by constructing this crude stone and earth culvert to facilitate the passage of animals and carts.

Arriving at the gateway to England. The road passed between the two narrow stone pillars. The modern wooden post on their right bears a small plastic St. George Cross and Welcome to England on one side and Saltire and Welcome to Scotland on the other side. The large stone pillar marks the border. This is at the top end of the vast Kielder Forest in the North Tyne Valley. The old road continues past the end of the nearest stand of trees and goes down the valley of the Lewis Burn to the North Tyne at what is now Kielder Reservoir.

The plaque on the large pillar tells us that there is a toll to be paid for taking animals across the border, 2 old pennies for horses leading coals, 3 old pennies for other horses, one old penny for cattle and a half of a penny for swine, calves and sheep. Anyone refusing to pay the toll will be prosecuted for trespass. I wonder what the border guard would make of my Scottish twenty pound note! This is a very old Border crossing, known to have been in use since Norman times as properties along the route are mentioned in the Domesday Book. The references on the plaque to the mileage to Lewisburn Colliery and to horses leading coals suggest that the plaque dates from the early years of the industrial revolution when coal from North Tyneside would have been hauled over this road to the textile mills in the Scottish Borders before the railway opened in 1862, and later the coming of the motor vehicle meant less of a time penalty in following the more circuitous route around the hills. Over the years many people have disappeared on their way over the Bloody Bush Road and this border crossing is said to be haunted and not to be attempted after dark.

Anyway I promised you I would invade England so here is a view taken from the English side showing the gateway into Scotland. You can still see the metal hooks on the gateposts from which the gate would have swung. All I have to do now is trek back across this moor and down the other side to where I left my car at Dinlabyre!!

[McMurdo]

Great photos Alex, and very interesting reading, glad you went in the daytime we wouldn't want you to go missing.

[Macman]

Great pictures, Alex. Those places remind me of a song I can only partially remember: "Lock the door, Lariston, Lion o'Liddesdale . . . ".

[Tartan Shortbread Jock]

A great bit of history, I like spooky tales.

[ghostlight]

Thank you for sharing a bit of history with us. And I'm happy to see you made it back before dark!

[Wompet]

Great pictures as always, Alex. One of these days I will have to make it over to Scotland and see these sites in person.

[JSFMACLJR]

Fabulous photos and descriptions, Alex! Thank you.

Cheers,
Sandford

[Sir William]

Great photos. I'd love to find this place when I visit the Liddesdale region this July, but I know I won't have the time for it. Perhaps on the next trip!

[dfmacliam]

Get pictures and story... Thanks