Gibbets, Forestry and Big Dan Burn

From the pretty village of Elsdon is a walk typifying the Northumbrian countryside. The forestry is dominant but allowing room for packs of history and rolling countryside. You won’t see many others on the walk unless it is Dan Burn himself!

The Walk

Elsdon, near Otterburn lies between large areas of forestry, army restricted land and rolling countryside. The walk spends a good deal of time in the forestry, interesting and certainly enlivened by my hunt for a rogue trig point. In fact the trig point had been recently visited, a fine coat of white paint clearly used to smarten it up! On leaving the forest there is signs of the impressive the area’s impressive history. Iron and Bronze age remains pepper the area, a little further field is the Roman camp at Otterburn.

However more obviously is Winter’s Gibbet. This lonely hangman’s noose has nothing to do with the prevailing season and everything to do with the murderer William Winter. Along with two female companions he murdered a local lady, was caught and subsequently hung in Newcastle. However his body was returned to Elsdon where the locals strung up his body on the site of the present gibbet. There he was left, body rotting for many months. The gibbet was subsequently replaced and a mannikin hung as a warning to would be criminals! Today it is an eery site on the walk.

The Dan Burn reference refers to a walk named after the iconic Newcastle United centre half who scored a vital goal in the team’s first trophy success for over 50 years. Whether he walked the full route himself or just put his name to part of it he is symbolised by some Dan Burn waymarks, a potentially (but not yet successful) ploy to attract more visitors to the area.

Recommend

Spend time in Elsdon, one of the finest Northumbrian villages.

Navigation Tips on the Walk

Walking in forestry is certainly confusing. There is no reference point (just identical trees) and leaving the main forest roads is very challenging. Keep to the forest roads and take a compass bearing to ensure you are heading in the direction you want. Ensure also you have a clear idea where you will exit the forest. If not the exercise becomes a maze! Rights of Way that are not on obvious forest tracks will be difficult to follow.

In addition you will cover distances quicker than on normal moorland paths.