|
From Bellingham, it's a fifteen-mile trek north along the Pennine Way to BYRNESS in Redesdale , which can also be reached direct from Kielder Castle via a rough, eleven-mile forestry road. Set beside the main A68 road, Byrness is a tiny village, but walkers can take refuge at the simple youth hostel at 7 Otterburn Green (tel 01830/520425, ; closed Oct-Feb). Redesdale has only one settlement of any size, OTTERBURN , ten miles southeast of Byrness down the A68. It's an undistinguished place today, with little except the name of the local pub, the Percy Arms , to recall its most notable hour. It was at Otterburn in August 1388 that an English army led by Sir Henry Percy ("Hotspur") was defeated by the Scots under James, Earl of Douglas. Douglas was killed in battle, as were 1800 English troops, while Hotspur was taken prisoner - a chain of events later made the subject of the medieval ballad of Chevy Chase . The battle site is about a mile northwest of the village, off the A68, marked by a stone cross set in a little pinewood. (Fittingly, the scenic moorland region immediately north of Otterburn is now a military training area - walkers must heed all signs and flags and should take local advice before setting off.) Otterburn boasts a small tourist information centre in the surprisingly thriving Otterburn Mill (Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm, Sun 11am-5pm), which, though it no longer produces textiles, sells them and maintains a small museum. There are several places to stay , including the Butterchurn Guest House , opposite the church on Main Street (tel 01830/520585; GBP40-50), and the comfortable Percy Arms (tel 01830/520261; GBP70-90), further down the road, where you can get coffee, bar meals and full dinners.
Your Tip for Redesdale
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Redesdale - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Redesdale - visit the main Redesdale forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Redesdale webguide section below! Thanks.
|
